Today, I want to tell you all about two of the most formidable animals in existence. These predators are feared throughout their habitat. Using stealth, speed, and overwhelming power, these deadly hunters rarely fail to make a kill. Beware.
The Mantis shrimp, or stomatopod, is fascinating for a number of reasons. Mantis shrimp mainly live in the shallows of tropical and subtropical areas and are rarely seen outside the homes they have made in caves or burrows, except to hunt or relocate. Perhaps the most apparent feature of this animal is its appearance. The Mantis shrimp comes in a variety of colors, ranging from murky browns to the vivid rainbow shown above. The reason for this brilliant coloring is likely because this animal has one of the most complex systems of sight imaginable.
Whereas humans possess three cones in each eye, which are the structures which enable them to see color, the Mantis shrimp has sixteen. In each eye. They can detect polarized light and images formed by wavelengths of light across the electromagnetic spectrum. The Mantis shrimp can view colors that we can’t even imagine, and it can perceive images which would be invisible to us. To a Mantis shrimp, their own fantastic coloring probably seems monotonous and dull.
Despite their beautiful appearance, however, they are highly dangerous predators. Mantis shrimp are unique among crustaceans in that they hunt and kill their prey. There are over four hundred species of Mantis shrimp, but they all have one of two types of claws, their primary weapons for hunting. The first variety, in my opinion somewhat less cool, they possess spiny claws which are barbed on the end, for the purpose of stabbing prey. However, the other is gifted with club-like appendages to literally punch their prey to death.
This punch, in particular, is one of the most powerful impacts in the animal kingdom. One blow from the Mantis shrimp can contain up to 1500 Newtons of force, accelerating from zero to 23 meters per second almost instantaneously. It also has the capability to create air bubbles, called cavitation bubbles, another deadly feature of this shrimp. These bubbles quickly collapse, generating a second impact immediately following that of the first punch, and the two combined are usually enough to annihilate prey in an instant. As the bubble collapses, it can also produce a flash of light and heat known as sonoluminescence, too rapid to be viewed by the naked eye. As crazy as this phenomenon seems, it is not unique to the Mantis shrimp. Another deadly ocean predator also puts this skill to good use.
The pistol shrimp, or Alpheidae, is found in seas throughout the world. These shrimp are one of the largest sources of noise in the ocean, rivaling both the sperm whale and the beluga whale. All this noise is caused by the shrimp’s main method of attack, the snapping of a specialized claw. This snap produces a cavitation bubble, which expands and shoots outward from the claw reaching speeds of up to 62 miles per hour. This bubble also creates sonoluminescence, the heat from which can reach temperatures of over 4700°C, an amount within 1000 degrees of the temperature on the surface of the sun. Thus, the pistol shrimp can literally boil prey alive. Underwater. The pistol shrimp is the ultimate stealthy predator, preferring to hide in burrows awaiting prey. When a likely target comes in range, the shrimp releases a snapping shot from its claw and kills the chosen victim instantly. It pulls the catch back into its lair and enjoys a successful meal.
The Mantis shrimp and the pistol shrimp are two of the most unlikely and efficient hunters in the ocean. Though the average beachgoer may never encounter these deadly beasts, it is vital that the public is aware of the danger lurking beneath the surface.
