Despite their name, mantis shrimp are not true shrimp but a type of stomatopod: a relative of crabs and lobsters that has been on Earth for over 400 million years. There are more than 400 different ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I write about biodiversity and the hidden quirks of the natural world. At first glance, the mantis shrimp is an unassuming ...

Texas is home to some of the creepiest, crawliest, and otherwise oddest animals on the planet. We introduce you to them in What in Tarnation?!, an occasional series. Before he became a Gulf Coast ...

Peacock mantis shrimp are one of the larger mantis shrimp species, measuring 1.2 to 7.1 inches in length. Peacock mantis shrimp get their name from their kaleidoscope shell, like a peacock’s tail, and ...

Rainbow mantis shrimp have 360-degree awareness thanks to their unique vision. Rainbow Mantis Shrimp possess 16 photoreceptors that allow for depth and distance differential. With only 5% of the ocean ...

The mantis shrimp comes equipped with its own weapons. It has claws that look like permanently clenched fists that are known as dactyl clubs. But when it smashes the shells of its prey, these fists ...

You probably wouldn’t want to step into a boxing ring with a mantis shrimp. Don’t let their small size fool you – these colourful crustaceans are among the mightiest fighters of the marine world.