Mantis Shrimp
"Odontodactylus scyllarus1" — Photo by Jens Petersen / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.5
Punching above its weight, with eyes to match!
Don't let its colorful appearance fool you; this crustacean is a fearsome predator with a devastating strike. With the fastest punch in the animal kingdom and eyes that see the world in ways we can only dream of, it's a true marvel of the ocean.
Did you know?
A mantis shrimp's 'punch' can accelerate so quickly it boils the water around its raptorial appendages, creating cavitation bubbles that collapse and generate a shockwave, further stunning its prey!
I get out of my home to eat or relocate...I am a predator
My gaze is far more complex than yours, boasting up to 16 photoreceptor classes compared to our paltry three.
I like warm and shallow waters
Preys cannot escape...I hit them at a speed of 23 metres per second, which is about as fast as a bullet fires from a gun
I am not your usual shrimp