Mantis shrimp belongs to the group of marine crustaceans. There are around 400 species of mantis shrimps that inhabit shallow subtropical and tropical waters of the Indian and Pacific oceans.
Mantis shrimp Facts
Mantis shrimp belongs to the group of marine crustaceans. There are around 400 species of mantis shrimps that inhabit shallow subtropical and tropical waters of the Indian and Pacific oceans. Mantis shrimps spend most of their life hidden in the rock crevices and burrows on the bottom of the sea. They have colorful shells and body posture that resembles posture of praying mantis. Mantis shrimps are consumed as a delicacy mostly in Asia and Mediterranean countries. Due to their attractive morphology, people often collect mantis shrimp from the wild and keep them in private aquariums. Despite these factors, they are still numerous in the wild. Mantis shrimps are not on the list of endangered species.
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Mantis shrimps are also commonly called stomatopods, prawn killers, squilla, thumb-splitters, and split-toes; the last two names were coined by fishermen who found out the hard way about mantis shrimp weaponry.
Fisherman Steve Bargeron, who hooked a massive crustacean at a dock in Fort Pierce.