How Mantis Shrimp Defend Against High-Speed Strikes
Mantis shrimp are small creatures that punch fast, accelerating on par with a 22-caliber bullet. They use these strikes on prey, predators and competitors alike.
Ecologist Patrick Green, at UC Santa Barbara, has studied these creatures to understand how they defend themselves from the blows of their rivals. Although their shells provide significant protection, he found that their fighting stance absorbs an additional 20 percent of the shock. The results, published in the Journal of Experimental Biology, highlight how insights from behavior are critical in understanding animal morphology.
“In mantis shrimp, competitors exchange bullet-like hits on each other’s armored tail plates, or telsons, during fights over shelters,” Green explained.
“In natural fights, we see mantis shrimp coil their tails in front of their bodies like a shield. I wanted to know how this behavioral use of the tail changed how they receive impacts.”