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

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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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  (#2) They Can Speak In Secret Code

  Most animals have a language that confuses or completely eludes us, but mantis shrimp take their language one step further. Rather than just making noises, mantis shrimp have found a way to communicate with each other in a super secret code.

  Researchers discovered that, in order to communicate via secret code, mantis shrimp will bounce polarized light off their bodies in different patterns to get their point across. Their bodies have areas called maxillipeds, and there are spots of color on these appendages. The mantis shrimp has the ability to bounce and manipulate the light to scatter across the spot's surface, and then other mantis shrimp interpret those signals. Other animals can't understand or see this.
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  (#3) They Come In A Huge Variety Of Colors

  As far as ocean life goes, it's pretty apparent the mantis shrimp is one of the most brilliantly colored animals there is. What's more, they come in a vast variety of different colors. To date, there are over 350 species of mantis shrimp on record, and most have slightly different color patterns. Some are simple and light in color, while others are iridescent and neon, like the animal pictured here. One of the most colorful is the rather large peacock mantis shrimp, so called because of the way its body resembles the feathers of a peacock. The peacock mantis shrimp is sought after for its color.
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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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  (#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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  (#12) They Are Very Detailed Learners

  You probably wouldn't think of a shrimp, lobster, or any crustacean as being particularly intelligent, but a mantis shrimp would probably disagree with you. Through scientific studies, they have shown to have pretty good memories, and are quite capable of learning and adapting to different situations. Certain species have shown they can signal and understand behavioral signals from other animals besides their own kind, and they are able to learn about unfamiliar species rather quickly. They are able to recognize individual creatures and other mantis shrimp that they repeatedly come across, and can identify others even by smell alone. So, if you were to misguidedly try to keep a mantis shrimp as a pet, it would quickly grow to recognize you.

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