Habitat: Indian & Pacific Oceans
Location: Between Eastern Africa & Hawaii
Lifespan: 3 – 6 years (with some up to 20 years!)
Size: 10 – 20 cms (4 – 8 Inches)
Weight: 12 – 90 grams
Color: Vibrant multi-coloured – Green, blue, red, orange
Diet: Fish, crabs, worms & shrimp
Predators: Humans, yellowfin tuna, larger fish
Top Speed: 30 body lengths per second
No. of Species:
Approx. 450
Conservation Status: Not endangered

1. All mantis shrimp species can be divided into ‘spearers’ or ‘smashers’, based on the types of claws they have and tactics they use to kill the prey.

2. Smashers can punch at same velocity as a gunshot from a .22 caliber rifle.

3. Humans can process three channels of colour (red, green and blue), while mantis shrimps perceive the world through 12 channels of colour, and can detect UV (ultra violet) and polarised light, aspects of light humans can’t access with the naked eye.

4. The are older than dinosaurs

5.There are around 450 species of mantis shrimp worldwide, and their colours range from shades of brown to bright, green, red and blue.

6. Mantis shrimp pack the strongest punch of any creature in the animal kingdom.

 7. The Peacock Mantis Shrimp is the most common species of mantis