Mantis shrimp live in the crevices of coral and rocks or in holes they make on the ocean floor. A territorial creature, it has been known to exhibit aggressive behavior toward intruders. This ferocious shrimp has hammer-like appendages that fold beneath its body, resembling a praying mantis.
With a spring-like motion, it uses these little hammers to attack prey and a mantis shrimp’s hit is NO joke. With the ability to strike at the speed of a .22 caliber bullet (50 times faster than the blink of an eye), a blow from a mantis shrimp can easily break through the shell of a crab or mollusk.
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Comments

BillParker - 6/25/2015 2:46 PM They are cool. Some day I want to do a dive with the primary purpose of finding and observing one. Cheshirecat - 8/27/2015 7:13 AM Hey, Bill. If you’re ever in the West Palm Beach area of Florida, check out Blue Heron Bridge. It’s a free shore dive where mantis shrimp have been sighted.