Week 3: Peacock Mantis Shrimp
You’ll most likely never see a more colorful- and more aggressive animal than the Peacock Mantis Shrimp. These small fellas are one of the most effective predators in the world, and are able to flaunt such bright shades because of their fierceness. With club-like claws, reminiscent of a Praying Mantis’ front limbs, mantis shrimp can strike their victims with punches up to 50 miles per hour (approximately the speed of a .22 bullet, and also the fastest punch of any living organism), vaporizing the water around the target while producing extreme heat and bright flashes of light. Basically, they shoot you, boil you, and blind you. Their claws are made of laminated hydroxyapatite, which is extremely dense and also incredibly resistant to fracturing. Because of this, the Peacock Mantis Shrimp is being examined for bionic use in material engineering. When feeling lazy, a mantis shrimp will also impale its prey with its other appendages, which are all very sharp.
They also have no noted predators, but their remains have been found in large predators like the barracuda and bluefin tuna. They’re extremely aggressive to just about anything they come across, but thankfully they live in the shallows of the Pacific and Indian oceans, preferring a warm environment with plenty of mollusks and shrimp to dine on. They burrow near coral reefs, and are extremely territorial, striking anything in their vicinity. This also includes aquarium glass, making a Peacock Mantis Shrimp a rare sight to see, even in captivity.
Peacock Mantis Shrimp aren’t just successful hunters because of their physical strength, but because of their incredible eyesight. Their eyes are made up of 12 different cells, making them able to see ultraviolet light, circularly polarized light, and the entire visual spectrum. Most mammals, including humans, only have 3 cells in their eyes, and none can see all the types of light a mantis shrimp can. Because of their wide visual spectrum, mantis shrimp are able to make discreet and accurate observations about their prey. The eyes of Peacock Mantis Shrimp are so complex that they’ve been thoroughly studied and applied within the Optics field.
Sometimes Peacock Mantis Shrimp do show mercy to any brave enough to stumble upon their den, using their posterior muscles to generate vibrations to warn others away from their territory. But, of course, the mantis shrimp loves a bit of flair, producing great vibrations which causes the nearby ocean floor to rumble.
And it doesn’t just stop there, as mantis shrimp can even detect the slightest smells in water. The exoskeleton of the Peacock Mantis Shrimp is basically a colorful fortress, and use their bright hues to communicate with other shrimp and prey.
Not much is known about the lifecycle of the Peacock Mantis Shrimp, as it is difficult to observe both in captivity and in the wild. However, they spent their first few moments as an egg tucked within their protective mother’s front limbs. Peacock mantis shrimp are also known to form monogamous relationships, and are highly protective of their partners and eggs. Once the eggs hatch, the offspring can grow up to 1.2 to 7.1 inches in length, making them the biggest variation of the Mantis Shrimp family.
For such a magnificent specimen, the IUCN lists the Peacock Mantis Shrimp as “least concern,” as humans and other predators usually aren’t even able to get close to the little guys. However, they are consumed in Japan in a sushi dish called shako, and I truly applaud the bravery of Japanese fishermen for even getting close to a mantis shrimp.
In terms of conservation, the Peacock Mantis Shrimp is thriving, but in order to maintain their populations, climate change must be combatted to maintain a stable environment and prey population for the mantis shrimp.
In conclusion, please do not get near these guys, like at all.
Sources:
https://aqua.org/explore/animals/peacock-mantis-shrimp
https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/animals/invertebrates/facts/peacockmantisshrimp
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odontodactylus_scyllarus
https://www.amnh.org/explore/news-blogs/on-exhibit-posts/fast-facts-peacock-mantis-shrimp
That is so cool, and crazy that such a small body can generate that much force in its large appendages. It is good to hear that they are not in immediate danger, but also sad because almost any animal is in danger. As they live in coral reefs, the bleaching of reefs is destroying their habitats. It is so interesting though how they are studied in multiple STEM fields for how cool they are.
Its crazy that such a small creature can produce so much violence and power! Kind reminds me of “great things come in small packages”, even if the package is poison. I agree with Dan that its great that this specific species is not in danger, but still upsetting that so many others are. Really cool!
Goodness, I cannot even fathom what kinds of muscles or nerve reflexes they must have in order to strike out punches like that. I remember seeing videos, and it’s impossible to even track the claw with your eyes it’s so fast. I hope that there will be safe and ethical ways to study these guys in the future, they seem fascinating!
How come I am only now learning about this fascinating creature? Like why couldn’t I learn this in my high school bio courses? Anyways, this is a very fascinating animal and considering the amount of strength it packs in its punches, no surprise. Also these creatures don’t seem huge at all, so to create such a fearful presence, I applaud.