Largest Mantis Shrimp Ever Found!
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A fisherman in Florida has caught an enormous, eighteen inch crustacean. Could it be a giant mantis shrimp?
Giant Mantis Shrimp aren't really that closely related to shrimp. They are stomatopods (most shrimp are decapod crustaceans) and these big bottom feeders are known for their powerful claws, which they use to spear prey at speeds of over 50mph! In some cases, larger mantis shrimp have been capable of smashing through aquarium glass! These shrimp are often called "prawn killers" or "thumb splitters" and they can get quite large, some over a foot in length. There are over 400 species of mantis shrimp in the sea, could this eighteen-inch giant be one of them?
Source: Animalist
Marjz
annotated1+ month ago
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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Marjz
annotated1+ month ago
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.
Marjz
annotated1+ month ago
Fisherman Steve Bargeron, who hooked a massive crustacean at a dock in Fort Pierce.