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Marine Pest of the Week

Marine Pest of the Week is a series in which you can learn about the marine pests threatening New Zealand’s waters, how to identify them, and what you can do to help protect our marine environment.

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Marine Pest of the Week – Japanese Mantis Shrimp (Oratosquilla oratoria)

Marine Pest of the Week

Published

26 November 2025

Written by Supplied

An aggressive competitor with a dangerous but impressive ‘karate chop’ ability to stun prey. It lives in burrows in the sand and mud, causing damage and making it hard to trap. In large numbers it leaves no space or food for other native crab and shrimp species.

This species is known to be in the following locations in Northland, Auckland, Bay of Plenty. If you find it outside this area, please report it.

Hokianga Harbour, Mangonui Harbour, Whangaroa Harbour, Bay of Islands,Whangarei Harbour, Kaipara Harbour, Tauranga Harbour, Waitemata Harbour, Whitianga, Raglan Harbour, Ohiwa Harbour,

This list is correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of publishing – for a full list of marine pest locations, please go to the Marine Biosecurity Porthole.