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The mantis shrimp is a marine crustacean of the order Stomatopoda, found in tropical and subtropical waters around the world, where it lurks in burrows along the ocean floor. Despite the name, it is neither a mantis nor a shrimp, but a distinct and ancient lineage of predators that has existed for over 400 million years. It strikes its prey with specialized club-like appendages at speeds up to 50 miles per hour, generating a shockwave powerful enough to stun or kill even when it misses, and it sees the world through eyes capable of detecting 16 types of color receptors compared to just three in humans.
The mantis shrimp is a marine crustacean of the order Stomatopoda, found in tropical and subtropical waters around the world, where it lurks in burrows along the ocean floor. Despite the name, it is neither a mantis nor a shrimp, but a distinct and ancient lineage of predators that has existed for over 400 million years. It strikes its prey with specialized club-like appendages at speeds up to 50 miles per hour, generating a shockwave powerful enough to stun or kill even when it misses, and it sees the world through eyes capable of detecting 16 types of color receptors compared to just three in humans.