The WWE champions of the sea, otherwise known as the Peacock Mantis Shrimp, pack a mean punch. The raptorial appendages the mantis shrimp possess are in the shape of a small club used for defense.
According to Guinness World Records, “If threatened, the peacock mantis shrimp can whip out these appendages at speeds of 23m/s (75ft/sec). That’s 50 times faster than the blink of an eye, or about the same trajectory of a .22 caliber bullet – and with force about 100 times its weight, making it the strongest self-powered strike by an animal.” This punch is even strong enough to break through an aquarium glass wall. According to National Geographic, for a moment after the initial punch, the surrounding water temperature gets as hot as the surface of the Sun. The Peacock Mantis Shrimp commonly use their clubs to kill and break apart their prey, consisting of snails, mollusks, crabs, and other crustaceans.
On top of their astonishing punch, Peacock Mantis Shrimp have extremely complex eyes, as well as some of the most mobile eyes in the animal kingdom. They can roll their eyes in any and every direction independently. According to Oceana, The Mantis Shrimp can see through twelve different color channels, whereas we humans only use three. Mantis Shrimp absorb images that are indescribable, and scientists can’t find the reasoning behind this attribute.
The Peacock Mantis Shrimp lives primarily along sediments associated with Coral Reefs in the Western Pacific and Indian Oceans. While the Peacock Mantis Shrimp is not found in United States water, the common Mantis Shrimp are native to the Chesapeake Bay, and they use their sharp claws to spear or slice prey.
Be careful not to get too close to one of these powerful punchers, as they are strong enough to cause deep wounds and break fingers.
Keep up to date on Pocono news, art, and events by following us on the Newsbreak app.
Have a news tip? Report it to (570) 451-NEWS.
