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Today on Animal Fact Files we’re talking about mantis shrimp. Mantis shrimp are so named because of their “mantis-like” appendages, but they’re not mantises. They’re not shrimp either - just in case you were wondering. Mantis shrimp are classified in their own order. There are more than 400 mantis shrimp species, though that number is on the rise, and there are two mantis shrimp groups: ‘the spearers’ and ‘the smashers’. ‘Spearers’ spear their prey with pointed spines which are designed to hold prey in place; ‘smashers’ quickly punch with a club shaped appendage that stuns a potential meal. Either way, mantis shrimp are quite deadly to their prey which can include cephalopods, fish, crustaceans, and molluscs. It’s even believed that mantis shrimp have better memories than any other crustaceans because they travel further in order to find these types of foods. In this way, the mantis shrimp need to remember where they can find food, so their memories may be better.

Of course, a mantis shrimp’s eyes also help to score a meal. In fact, mantis shrimp eyes are considered to be some of the most complex on earth. They have up to 16 photoreceptors and each individual eye has depth perception. Our eyes almost completely depend on each other for perceiving depth, but a mantis shrimp doesn’t have this concern. The thought is that their eyes have become so specialized because of where they live. Mantis shrimp inhabit tropical and temperate coastal waters around the globe that are usually teeming with life and brilliant colors. The thought is that the more colors a mantis shrimp can see the better it will be able to navigate its surroundings. Not all mantis shrimp live near sea level, though, with some living almost 5,000 feet (1,500m) below the waves.

Most mantis shrimp, however, do enjoy a nice burrow in which to live. These crustaceans will fight each other over places of residence, though in a polite, non-fatal way. Instead of goring each other with lethal punches they’ll just tap each other’s backs until they decide who would probably win if they actually fought. This kind of behavior is common during mating rituals as well. Female mantis shrimp have to determine whether the fellow on her doorstep intends to ~spend the night~ oooor... evict her. It’s because of this that many female mantis shrimp will only mate with smaller males… just in case.

Reproduction and egg rearing differs between the species but in some cases the males help with protecting the brood which is pretty rare in crustaceans. On average mantis shrimp can live for about five years but some sources claim a lifespan of up to twenty!

The smallest mantis shrimp don’t even reach an inch (2.54 centimeters) in length, but larger mantis shrimp can be nearly a foot (30.5 centimeters) long! No matter the size, however, they still pack a punch that is equivalent in speed to a bullet. Their punch is so strong they’re nicknamed “thumb splitters” because… well you get the idea.

For more facts on mantis shrimp check out the links in the description. Give a thumbs up if you learned something new today, and thank you for watching Animal Fact Files.