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Peacock Mantis Shrimp

It’s not just the peacock mantis shrimp’s looks that are striking! This crustacean can throw an extraordinarily powerful punch that is one of the fastest strikes in the animal kingdom.

 

Peacock mantis shrimp live in the shallow, warm waters of the Indo-Pacific Ocean, often making the burrows they live in sand or gravel by the base of coral reefs. Despite their name, they are not a true species of shrimp, but rather a separate order of shrimp-like crustaceans. They can range anywhere from 3 to 18 centimeters (1.2 to 7 inches) long and are equipped with specialized appendages called raptorial appendages. With them, they can strike with the speed of a .22 caliber bullet — a force enough to crack open the hard shells of scallops, crabs and other shelled prey. 

However, these aggressive hunters don’t just punch their prey! Peacock mantis shrimps are territorial and will also deal powerful punches to other mantis shrimps, striking each other at their heavily armored tail. And it’s not just their power that sets mantis shrimp apart — their eyes are another marvel altogether! Each eye moves independently and is capable of detecting an incredible range of colors 12 different wavelengths of light and color — far beyond what humans can see. With its unique vision, the colorful world a mantis shrimp sees is literally unimaginable to humans.

 

 

No thorough evaluation of the peacock mantis shrimp’s population has been conducted, and little has been assessed about the threats they face. However, as animals that live around coral reefs, they may be vulnerable to the broader impacts of climate change, including coral bleaching and ocean acidification, which can degrade the habitats they rely on for shelter and hunting.

 

 

Creating protected areas is important for safeguarding coastal ecosystems, like coral reefs where peacock mantis shrimps live. Additionally, taking steps to tackle the climate crisis — like stopping the expansion of offshore drilling — can address the acceleration of warming ocean temperatures that degrade coral habitats. Learn more about how Oceana campaigns to protect our climate here.

 

 

 

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