This Shrimp Punches Harder Than Mike Tyson (Almost)

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During his prime, a punch from Mike Tyson would have felt the same as if you were hit 13 times by .22 caliber bullets while wearing a bulletproof vest. Remarkably, the peacock mantis shrimp packs a punch equal to the force of a .22 caliber bullet. These sea creatures may be small, but fishermen know to keep their distance from the aggressive little crustaceans.

Mantis shrimp aren’t actually shrimp but are stomatopods, related to crabs and lobsters. The video above shows how the small but mighty peacock mantis shrimp can easily disarm its prey. Watch as a crab unknowingly wanders into the colorful mantis shrimp’s territory, with bad results for the crab. The unfortunate crab never stood a chance against a creature that packs the strongest punch known to the animal kingdom.

What are Mantis Shrimp?

The mantis shrimp is an ancient creature known as a stomatopod. These crustaceans have been on Earth for over 400 million years. There are hundreds of species of mantis shrimp, but the peacock is the most well-known. It lives in coral reefs, digging burrows in the sand to make its home. These shrimp are not social and prefer to live alone, only coming together for a short time to mate. Their name comes from their rainbow-colored shells, which resemble a peacock’s beautiful feathers.

A fearsome predator underwater, mantis shrimp have eight pairs of legs. Three pairs are for walking, but five pairs have claws on the end of them for feeding. The mantis shrimp’s purple eyes are on stalks on its head and both eyes can move independently for better views. Although they can see 12 wavelengths of light (humans only detect three), they can’t differentiate between colors as well as humans. But their eyes do have great depth perception, which helps them to zero in on nearby prey.

Diet

Peacock mantis shrimp have such powerful claws they can take down animals larger than themselves. They use their claws to jab at clams and crabs, breaking the hard outer shells in one punch. Their punch is so powerful and fast it can snap off a crab’s claws and break open a clam.

How do they pack so much power in those tiny claws?

Amazingly, the legs that do the punching stay against the shrimp’s body and are held down by a latch. This allows the appendage to build energy. The little shrimp even have a spring in their leg. When they are close to their prey, they release the latch and let the claw loose. The buildup of energy releases, and the shrimp punches so hard it causes the water around it to boil. If it makes contact with its target, the clam or crab is toast. The mantis shrimp’s claw has evolved to absorb the impact and doesn’t crack when making contact with a hard surface.

Vulnerabilities

Because it’s an arthropod, mantis shrimp shed their exoskeletons as they grow. After they molt, the shrimp can’t use its claw for punching for at least a few days. It also takes a few days for its shell to harden, giving it full protection. If the peacock mantis shrimp has lost a claw, it will grow back after a molt or two.

Prey

Despite their strong fighting abilities, the peacock mantis shrimp is in danger of some predators. Squid, octopus, sharks, and large fish such as tuna will eat the mantis shrimp if they can catch it. But the biggest threat to the peacock mantis shrimp is climate change. Like all reef species, warming waters are a threat to their habitat and feeding grounds. Fortunately, the mantis shrimp is not endangered or threatened, however, it is vulnerable if its reef habitat is lost.

Peacock Mantis Shrimp as Pets

Because they are such fascinating and beautiful creatures, people enjoy keeping peacock mantis shrimp as pets. However, they can be difficult to keep in aquariums due to their aggressive nature. They need to be kept alone or in a very large aquarium with plenty of room.

Theoretically, a peacock mantis shrimp could break the glass of its aquarium with its powerful punch. As reported by National Geographic, a mantis shrimp, appropriately named Tyson, once punched at his enclosure back in 1998, breaking the glass. Pet owners should be aware that an errant punch aimed at its prey, but landing on the glass, could break an aquarium.

Can You Eat Peacock Mantis Shrimp?

Peacock mantis shrimp are known as a delicacy in some Asian countries. However, they don’t have a lot of meat and are difficult to catch and prepare. They are sometimes used as sushi toppings or can be boiled whole and eaten out of the shell.