Random Incredible Things You Didn't Know About Mantis Shrimp, Tiny Hulks Of Sea (14 items)

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  (#7) They Make Super Creepy Noises

  Although mantis shrimp can communicate though their light-reflecting code, that's not to say they always remain silent. While the females are relatively quiet, the males are more than willing to cause a stir, especially during the dusk and evening hours, when they're most active.

  During that period, the mantis shrimp tends to hunt the most, and moves about in order to protect its home. One means of protection is to scare others away, and it does this by trying to sound as menacing as possible. The males will make a low frequency rumbling noise, like a distant earthquake or thunder. Others creatures feel the noise more than hear it. They also make popping and creaking noises, like you're in some kind of haunted house. When they do fight each other, they call back and forth in a sort of rumbling chorus as they battle, letting other animals know to stay far away.
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  (#13) They Make Great Dads

  Mantis shrimp are a monogomous species, and they mate about 20 to 30 times in their lives. During that period, the father mantis shrimp turns into superdad, and takes on many responsibilities the female has. They share the same burrow during the gestation of the eggs, do their daily activities together, and the males will take care of the eggs themselves. Sometimes, there are actually two clutches of eggs laid, and the father takes care of one clutch all on his own. He will hunt for his family, protect his family, and even after the babies hatch, he still sticks around. It might be up to three months before the babies go off on their own, and he keeps a watchful eye on them for that entire time.
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  (#14) They Are Able to Create Light When They Kill Their Prey

  So, we know these creatures can attack with the speed of a bullet, boil water, and create deadly shock waves with ease, but there's one more strange thing these creatures can do when they attack. Fast striking can sometimes form cavitation bubbles in the water, and these can create small glints of light in a process called sonoluminescence. You might see tiny circular bubbles of light briefly flicker of you were trying to watch one of these attacks. Does this light flash help in hunting? Does it blind the mantis shrimp's prey?

  As it turns out, nope! This flash of light is just a happy side effect of the creature's speed and power, and is a unique ability to the mantis shrimp. It may not have any real practical application, but it's just one more reason the mantis shrimp is a truly awesome creature. 
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  (#10) They Are Absurdly Heavily Armored

  With how fast these little creatures move, with the type of punch they pack, and with how aggressive and predatory they are, it stands to reason they'd need a pretty thick skin to survive. In fact, mantis shrimp have multiple levels of armor and flesh, starting with a layer that is similar to human bones and teeth. Then, underneath, there are layers of hydroxyapatite and chitin, acting somewhat like a bulletproof vest. Cracks do form, but the material of the shell are such that mantis shrimp can smash things over and over again without the cracks growing. Mantis shrimp can move and attack the way they do without harm. This armor is so effective the military is looking into using similar methods to make better armor for soldiers, as well as better armor for cars and other vehicles. 
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  (#1) Mantis Shrimp Are Not Actually Shrimp

  Despite their name and appearance, mantis shrimp are not truly shrimp at all. Instead, they are a crustacean more closely related to lobsters and crabs. Their name mostly refers to their close resemblance to praying mantises, an insect you might be able to find in your garden. However, unlike the mandibles that mantises have, this creature has something a little different. On the ends of its front legs, mantis shrimp have a a raptorial second thoracic appendage, that makes them unique from both mantises and shrimp, as well as crabs or lobsters.
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  (#11) They're Very Secretive And Live Underground

  When you think of shrimp, you might think of them moving in a large group. However, mantis shrimp are not truly shrimp, and they tend to be very solitary creatures. When they do mate, they're monogamous for long term, and they tend to be very protective of their homes from others. Even other species can become targets just from getting too close. 

  Mantis shrimp are able to survive in cracks and rock crevices without any real problem. That being said, they mostly prefer to live in underground burrows, which they dig themselves. They can create intricate passageways and burrows throughout the sea bed, which means they don't have to come out to move around the sea floor very often. Because of this, they are incredibly difficult for scientists to study and research, and they are seen as very secretive creatures. 

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