Mantis Shrimp, which lives in the depths of the sea, appears to be a very ordinary creature at first glance. Looking at it, hardly anyone would be able to guess how much astonishing power and unique qualities are hidden inside it. Despite being small in size, it is counted among the most dangerous and interesting predatory creatures of the sea. Its speed, strength and ability to see are such that even big sea creatures prefer to keep distance from it.
Mantis shrimp is actually a type of marine crustacean, which belongs to a group called Stomatopoda. Scientists have so far identified more than 250 species and it is believed that there are still many species about which complete information has not been revealed. These creatures are found in tropical and subtropical seas present in different parts of the world. The special thing is that the bright and rainbow-like colors visible on their bodies distinguish them from other sea creatures.
What is the length of this creature?
Although their color is very attractive, they do not like to spend much time in the open. Most of the time they remain hidden inside their small holes built at the bottom of the sea. They come out only when they have to search for food or protect their territory. Their nature is very cautious and as soon as they sense any danger, they immediately return to their safe place.
If we talk about their size, the length of most mantis shrimp is between 10 to 20 centimeters. That means they are so small that they can easily fit in your palm. But their small size does not give any idea of their strength. In fact, these are such hunters who attack their prey as fast as lightning and do not even give it a chance to recover.
What is its specialty?
The biggest feature of mantis shrimp is its very strong front claws, which are called raptorial appendages in scientific language. These claws are its most dangerous power. Some species use these claws to pierce their prey like a spear, while other species punch with such tremendous force that the prey becomes unconscious within a moment or its hard shell breaks.
Their attack is so fast that it is considered one of the fastest attacks of nature. According to scientists, the attack of mantis shrimp happens at such a speed that human eyes cannot even see it clearly. In a single stroke it can even break the strong shells of crabs, snails, small fishes and other sea creatures. This is the reason why many creatures of the sea avoid colliding with it.
Not only strength, mantis shrimp are also famous all over the world for their extraordinary vision. Its eyes are more developed than those of normal creatures. While humans can recognize a limited number of colors, mantis shrimp’s eyes are capable of sensing many types of light and colors. This is the reason why it detects even the smallest movements happening around it very quickly. Its amazing vision plays the biggest role in finding prey, avoiding enemies and attacking in the right direction.
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