Mantis Shrimp

The mantis shrimp is a group of marine crustaceans found in shallow tropical and subtropical waters worldwide, named for the enlarged, folded front appendages that resemble those of a praying mantis and are used to strike prey with extraordinary speed and force. Depending on the species, mantis shrimp either spear soft-bodied prey with sharp, barbed claws or smash the shells of crabs, snails and clams with powerful club-like appendages that accelerate faster than a bullet leaving a gun, among the fastest strikes recorded in the animal kingdom, generating enough force to shatter aquarium glass in captivity. The species also possesses one of the most complex visual systems known in nature, with compound eyes capable of detecting a far wider range of light, including polarized and ultraviolet wavelengths, than the human eye. Mantis shrimp typically live in burrows dug into sand or rubble on the sea floor, or in crevices among coral and rock, and many species form long-term pair bonds, an unusual trait among crustaceans. They are active, solitary hunters, and larger species are sometimes kept and prized in the aquarium trade despite their reputation for damaging tank equipment.