Mantis shrimp wield a spring-loaded appendage that punches through water with explosive force — and their babies can start swinging just nine days after they hatch. The appendage, called the raptorial ...

Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent every weekday. Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. They may be colorful and small, but mantis shrimp are not to be ...

Baby animals are often adorable, but this belies the fact that many are born with some pretty intense survival skills. This is especially true for creatures that don't nurture their young since ...

Forget about Mike Tyson or Muhammad Ali, the fastest punch in the world belongs to the mantis shrimp. This shrimp can smash a shell with the force of a .22 caliber bullet and remain intact despite the ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I write about biodiversity and the hidden quirks of the natural world. At first glance, the mantis shrimp is an unassuming ...

Despite their name, mantis shrimp are not true shrimp but a type of stomatopod: a relative of crabs and lobsters that has been on Earth for over 400 million years. There are more than 400 different ...

Peacock mantis shrimp are one of the larger mantis shrimp species, measuring 1.2 to 7.1 inches in length. Peacock mantis shrimp get their name from their kaleidoscope shell, like a peacock’s tail, and ...

Mantis shrimp are colorful creatures with an incredibly powerful punch — comparable to a .22 caliber bullet. This punch is strong enough to shatter shells and even glass. Luckily, mantis shrimp remain ...

Texas is home to some of the creepiest, crawliest, and otherwise oddest animals on the planet. We introduce you to them in What in Tarnation?!, an occasional series. Before he became a Gulf Coast ...

Disco clams (Ctenoides ales) are unusually colorful bivalves: They have bright-red appendages and a strip of tissue that flashes like a strobe light. A new study suggests this flashy appearance could ...