File #031 //
Mantis Shrimp
(Odontodactylus Scyllarus)
Core Data
Designation: Marine Crustacean
Habitat: Its found across the Indo-Pacific, ranging from the Marianas to East Africa, and as far South as Northern South Africa.
Diet: Feeds on slugs, spiders, beetles, grasshoppers, and myriapods.
Size: Ranges in size from 3 to 18cm (1.2 to 7.1in).
Lifecycle: Lives around 3 to 6 years in the wild but can reach 10, even 20 years in the wild depending on certain conditions.
Specialized Functions
Unlike humans, which have 3 color photoreceptors, the Mantis Shrimp has 12! This doesn't allow the shrimp to see more colors as people believe, but it does allow them to see Infrared, Ultraviolet, and Polarized Light!
Another thing Mantis Shrimp are known for is their defensive / offensive abilities! This Mantis Shrimp in particular, the Peacock Mantis Shrimp, has a spring loaded "Dactyl Club" it can use to punch over 80km/h (50mph) that can break shells and form cavitation bubbles that, when popped, releases a large amount of heat that can weaken the armor of its prey. Other species of Mantis Shrimp, are not punchers, rather they rely on spear like appendages as pictured in the second gif below!
