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Mantis shrimp is a marine organism classified under the order Stomatopoda, distinguished from typical shrimp species.
Their body length averages around 30 centimeters or 11.81 inches, with the largest recorded specimen reaching 38 centimeters (14.96 inches).
Found primarily in tropical or subtropical waters with relatively shallow depths, mantis shrimp exhibit over 450 species, distinguishable by body color and size.
The carapace, or hard shell, of the mantis shrimp covers only the back of the head and the first four segments of the thorax. Its color ranges from brownish to bright neon.
Despite being common and a primary predator in many shallow marine habitats in tropical and subtropical regions, mantis shrimp are often elusive due to spending most of their lives in burrows and crevices.
Their diet comprises small fish, mollusks, small crustaceans, and other small marine animals.
Mantis shrimp display unique reproductive behavior. During copulation, the male mounts the female, positioning their abdomens belly to belly.
Female mantis shrimp typically lay eggs in the water to ensure the population’s survival in their environment.
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The Beautiful Sea Creature ‘Aged’ with Lethal Strikes
The Stomatopoda family boasts an incredibly long evolutionary history, existing for millions of years, even older than dinosaurs.
With evolution dating back around 400 million years, the Stomatopoda order, which includes mantis shrimp, evolved in isolation about 170 million years earlier than dinosaurs.
Their existence throughout this extended evolutionary period makes them one of the longest-surviving animal groups on Earth.
Despite being considered ‘old,’ this crustacean has remarkably powerful, even lethal, striking capabilities.
They can snap their front appendages at speeds reaching 80km/h or 49.71 mph in a matter of seconds. This striking acceleration surpasses that of a 22-millimeter caliber bullet.
With this force, these ‘aged’ creatures can generate energy up to 1,500 newtons, equivalent to being hit by a 154 kg or 339.51 pounds object.
The sonic waves produced by their strikes can subject prey or predators to two deadly blows in seconds.
Although somewhat intimidating due to their lethal strikes, these shrimp are also referred to as the enchanting beauties of the ocean due to the variety of colors and unique designs on their bodies.
Ranging from dark hues to vibrant colors, this beauty serves not only an aesthetic purpose but also functions as a defense strategy in the marine environment.
Extraordinary Vision and Communication
The eyes, dubbed ‘sea locusts,’ of this creature are among the most functional among living organisms. They have compound eyes similar to humans but are more sensitive.
They have 16 types of photoreceptor cells, allowing them to see more color variations than humans, who only have three types of cells.
Another uniqueness is their ability to detect ultraviolet and infrared rays, providing them with highly sophisticated vision.
Apart from their visual abilities, these sea locusts emit special light visible only to other mantis shrimp.
Their maxillipeds, body parts containing polarized light, function as a secret code for communication among themselves.
This indicates a level of complexity in social interaction and communication among them understood by their peers and challenging for other creatures, including humans, to comprehend.
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Critical Role in Human Safety
The striking ability of mantis shrimp has inspired researchers to develop body protection.
Unique materials found in mantis shrimp appendages, such as hydroxyapatite (a crystallized calcium phosphate compound) and elastic polysaccharide, provide extraordinary strength to their strikes.
The design of mantis shrimp appendages has even been adopted to create body protection used in aircraft and military equipment.
The combination of these two materials makes mantis shrimp strikes powerful yet able to dampen the impact on their bodies.
Researchers have also studied their body shape to create robust protective gear, and they play a role in cancer detection.
Justin Marshall, a neuroscientist at the University of Queensland, believes that mantis shrimp possess specific compounds in their eyes capable of detecting cancerous lesions and neuronal activities.
These compounds can detect polarized light in healthy body tissues, allowing the shrimp to identify cancerous tissues.