Mantis Shrimp Size Facts For Your Next Fishing Trip

Mantis shrimp are sea-dwelling crustaceans belonging to the class Malacostraca and the order Stomatopoda.

Despite their name, these vicious predators are neither mantis nor shrimp. They have been named so because of their preying mantis-like hands, which extend from the front of their bodies.

Mantis shrimp have another pair of powerful limbs as well, which they keep tucked inside their bodies. These limbs can spear or strike their prey as needed, and even break through hard shells in order to catch prey to satisfy their carnivorous diet.

There are over 450 species of mantis shrimp which can be divided into these two categories based on the type of limbs they possess and can be found in tropical and subtropical waters all over the world.

A mantis shrimp's blow is quite deadly, and these predators are able to take down many small animals with a single hit with their claws! To learn more about these astounding animals, read on!

If you enjoyed this article, check out our other pages on Pacific Whiting and Sterbai Cory.

Can you eat a mantis shrimp?

Despite their name, mantis shrimp are neither related to praying mantis nor shrimp - they are simply named after their resemblance to the two creatures. They belong to the class Malacostraca, which contains prawns, shrimp, lobsters, crabs, and many other crustaceans of the sea.

Though they are not shrimps or prawns, they are crustaceans and like lobsters, crabs and shrimp are completely edible!

Also named as squilla, mantis shrimp is popular in Asian and Mediterranean cuisine and can be eaten in a variety of ways.

Highly praised for its sweet, tender meat, its taste and texture have been compared to that of lobster - with some even preferring it to the latter! Popular ways to eat this delicacy are as a sushi topping, as a part of a rice dish like in risotto or paella, or deep-fried as tempura.

They can also be simply boiled and eaten, and their flavorful shells can be used to make a delicious broth for soups, pasta, and rice dishes.

They are prepared similar to lobster and usually cooked alive with their claws bound together. Their hard shells can be a bit difficult to crack, as the overlapping segments are pieced together quite tightly, but the sweet flesh inside is worth the effort as many people say.

Different types of mantis shrimp?

There are over 450 species of this colorful Stomatopoda creature found in both tropical and subtropical waters, which are mainly divided into two groups by the way they hunt their prey into smashers and spearers. These sea creatures are known for their fierce hunting technique, deadly blows, and spectacular vision.

The most famous species of this animal is the peacock mantis shrimp. The peacock mantis shrimp is known for its beautifully colored shell.

This animal is a smasher-type shrimp, and is usually seen beating up other forms of sea life with its colorful claws! A famous spearer type species is the zebra mantis shrimp, which is striped black and white like its namesake.

Both groups of mantis shrimp have different characteristics, habitat, and behavior. Though both strike their prey essentially at the same speed, with a number of rapid, successive blows, the appearance and structure of their striking limbs greatly affect how they hunt their prey.

Peacock mantis shrimp usually measure between 4-10 in (10-25 cm), but there have been larger specimens found with the biggest one being 18 in (46 cm!).

Spearers have sharp, pointed limbs, which they use to pierce their prey. They tend to go after softer creatures, like worms, fish, and shrimp.

Another amazing feature all Stomatopoda species possess are the eyes of mantis shrimp, which are located on long stalks protruding from their heads and contribute to their exemplary vision.

They can move independently, and are very advanced - they can sense up to 12 channels of colors, as well as ultraviolet rays and polarised light, which humans cannot perceive with our sight limited to only three channels of color. It is even said that they can detect cancer in the body, which is an amazing feat.

Scientists have taken much inspiration from these animals' eyes to develop sensitive cameras and telescopes such as those used in space.

Mantis shrimp's vision is among the most advanced in the animal kingdom and their eyes are made out of 16 photoreceptor cells. These Stomatopoda have compound eyes, similar to those of other species like bees and flies.

The highly intelligent eyes of the mantis shrimp can perceive and analyze colors right away and relay them to the brain, instead of using heavy brain function to differentiate between colors as with other animals' vision.

The photoreceptors in their eyes are arranged in stripes, which helps give them acute depth perception and trinocular vision. This means that they can focus on different depths at once.

Smasher-types like the peacock mantis shrimp usually make their homes by taking shelter in natural coral or rock formations, whereas spearer-type mantis shrimp species use their sharp claws to burrow into the soft sand. They prefer this type of habitat as they are able to further burrow into their home at will and expand it.

Mantis shrimp can mate over 30 times in their life. The female usually lays the eggs in the burrow, and both male and female mantis shrimp help to care for the eggs and gather food.

The female will usually lay two sets of eggs at a single time, one for each parent to care for. These animals have a lifespan of around 20 years.

Peacock mantis shrimp are known to build U-shaped burrows at the edge of coral reefs, in preparation to mate. They usually leave these burrows in search of mates at nighttime, which is when most mantis shrimp are willing to mate.

Depending on the species, females will either lay their eggs in the burrows or carry them around on their bodies until they are ready to hatch. They may lay up to hundreds of tiny eggs at a time.

How hard can a mantis shrimp punch?

These crustaceans are famous for their deadly punches, which have been known to shatter even glass! There's a reason you don't see these guys much as pets in aquariums or homes, and their ability to escape using their blows is one of them.

Mantis shrimp are aggressive and territorial, which is why you don't see many of them as pets. Keeping a group of them together is sure to result in chaos and fighting.

The punching appendages of the shrimp itself are loaded like springs.

As they release their limbs, which are tucked under their body when not in use, the force adds a crazy amount of speed to their blow - think around 50 times as fast as the blink of an eye! This unmatched speed can be compared to that of a 0.22 caliber bullet - now that's fast!

To 0ut it in perspective, if you could throw an object at the same speed as the mantis shrimp could punch, the object would most likely leave the earth's orbit and be launched into space!

The spring mechanism ensures that the punch lands at a force that is over 2500 times the weight of the mantis shrimp - so it's no wonder it is able to shatter glass with its blow!

Their blows are able to kill prey at an instant, backed up by a phenomenon caused by the force of the punch called cavitation bubbles. Once these bubbles burst, they release powerful shockwaves, which further have an impact on their targets!

Once the bubbles burst, they are also able to release heat that reaches scorching temperatures, which can reach up to 8500 degree F (4704 degree C) - that's as hot as the sun!

So if the punch of the mantis shrimp is so deadly, how does it keep from breaking its own claws at impact?

The claws of the mantis shrimp itself actually have layers of elastic chitin compressed inside them, which help to evenly distribute the impact of the shock and prevent the expansion of the fibers which can lead to breakage.

The structure of the claw itself acts as a shock absorbent, which is helpful when dealing with hard punches (not for its prey though! ).

If you are planning on raising one of these colorful critters, then make sure to keep them alone, and in a tank made from reinforced glass! Otherwise, it's advised to just observe them from far, as we humans aren't immune to their powerful punches either.

Though their strikes are not deadly to humans, the speed and force at which they punch can leave deep and painful gashes on ones' body.

Be sure to raise them alone, with the minimum mantis shrimp tank size being 10 gal (45 l) and more. Peacock mantis shrimp are among the most sought after of these animals for their beautifully colored shells.

What do mantis shrimp feed on?

Mantis shrimp are carnivorous in nature and are quite adept predators. They are notorious for their power-packed punches, which they use to break the shells of their prey to get to the soft flesh inside.

Depending on the species of mantis shrimp, it can either rain down blows on its prey with club-like appendages or impale them with razor-sharp limbs.

The type of prey consumed by these creatures can differ depending on their hunting style; species who spear their prey are more likely to go after softer creatures like worms, small fish, squid, and octopus.

On the other hand, species who use their hard appendages to punch their targets will usually follow a diet of shelled creatures, like crabs, shrimp, snails, and even other mantis shrimp! They are opportunistic feeders and are not very picky when it comes to food- usually eating anything edible that comes their way.

They have been observed to feed once every 2-3 days.

Did you know...

Mantis shrimp are mostly found in the tropical and subtropical waters of the Indian and Pacific oceans.

Few colorful mantis shrimp species possess bio fluorescence, which means that they are able to signal other friendly shrimp or ward off predators or intruders in case they get too close to their territory.

Mantis shrimp will usually mostly mate only when there is a full moon! The specifics behind this are unclear, but both sexes of this animal will only let each other into their existing burrow during this time period!

Only two species of mantis shrimp - Pullosquilla and Nannosquilla, will mate for life. Though most species will raise the eggs together, these two mantis shrimp species will stay together for life and mate together every season.

Mantis shrimp communicate by emitting a low grumbling sound, as well as with bioluminescence.

We actually don't know much about mantis shrimp, as they are quite reclusive and rarely leave their homes! Males and females usually don't live together either, only coming together to mate.

They are also rarely kept under study by scientists as they tend to eat quite a lot, are difficult to house as they can easily squash any glass aquarium, and are also hard to catch because of the sheer depth which they live at.

Mantis shrimp actually do not have many predators, with their biggest predators being humans. As these delectable crustaceans have proven to be quite tasty, they are harvested in great numbers in incorporated in a number of cuisines like Japanese, Italian, Vietnamese, Cantonese, Hawaiian, Mediterranean, and Filipino dishes.

Because of their hard shells, the only other creatures capable of preying upon them are the ones that can swallow them whole like orcas and sharks.

The peacock shrimp is also a known predator of the highly toxic blue-ringed octopus!

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for mantis shrimp size then why not take a look at Yellow Jack, or Schoolmaster snapper.