Despite their name, mantis shrimp are not true shrimp but a type of stomatopod: a relative of crabs and lobsters that has been on Earth for over 400 million years. There are more than 400 different ...

Known for their powerful punch, mantis shrimp can smash a shell with the force of a .22 caliber bullet. Yet, amazingly, these tough critters remain intact despite the intense shockwaves created by ...

The mantis shrimp comes equipped with its own weapons. It has claws that look like permanently clenched fists that are known as dactyl clubs. But when it smashes the shells of its prey, these fists ...

Texas is home to some of the creepiest, crawliest, and otherwise oddest animals on the planet. We introduce you to them in What in Tarnation?!, an occasional series. Before he became a Gulf Coast ...

Peacock mantis shrimp are one of the larger mantis shrimp species, measuring 1.2 to 7.1 inches in length. Peacock mantis shrimp get their name from their kaleidoscope shell, like a peacock’s tail, and ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I write about biodiversity and the hidden quirks of the natural world. At first glance, the mantis shrimp is an unassuming ...

O. scyllarus is one of the larger, more colourful mantis shrimps commonly seen, ranging in size from 3–18 cm. Image by Roy L. Caldwell, Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, ...

Peacock mantis shrimp like Douglas are “called thumb-splitters in the aquarium business,” said Elliot Provance, director of living collections and exhibitions at Discovery Place. ALEX CASON Among the ...

The peacock mantis shrimp is the Mike Tyson of the shrimp world, capable of delivering a mean punch. The impact pressure from these little guys rivals that of a small-caliber bullet. Despite their ...