Stomatopoda
The mantis shrimp delivers the fastest punch in the animal kingdom -- accelerating its clubs at the same velocity as a .22 caliber bullet. The strike creates cavitation bubbles that produce a secondary shockwave, a flash of light, and temperatures approaching the surface of the sun. All from an animal the size of your hand.
A mantis shrimp's strike reaches 23 meters per second -- that's 50 times faster than the blink of an eye. The acceleration generates forces exceeding 1,500 Newtons.
Humans have 3 color receptors (red, green, blue). Mantis shrimps have 16, including ultraviolet and polarized light detection. They see a spectrum we can't even imagine.
Mantis shrimps are notorious for cracking aquarium walls with their strikes. Keepers house them in reinforced acrylic tanks, and many have learned the hard way.
"Smashers" use hammer-like clubs to break shells. "Spearers" have barbed appendages that impale soft-bodied prey. Both are devastatingly effective.
Mantis shrimps have existed for over 400 million years. They were ambushing prey in the oceans before fish had jaws, before insects existed, and before plants colonized land.
Get the animal of the day delivered to your inbox every morning. Free, no spam, unsubscribe anytime.
