Two wonderful things have just come together. The internationally known and respected Monterey Bay Aquarium and the tiny, beautifully murderous Mantis Shrimp. Made “internet famous” by Matthew Innman of The Oatmeal, this exquisite little killing machine is rarely seen in any aquarium and the last time there was one in Monterey, it was brought in entirely by accident. In 2000, two mantis shrimp stowed away inside a shipment of coral rock and began slaughtering the “natives” that shared their new habitat.
This time, erring on the side of caution, they have elected to house the little fiend in its own display in the Splash Zone, behind a glass aquarium built for solitary confinement. This offers kids a chance to learn that, while a spectacle to behold, life under the sea can also be quite dangerous and is to be respected. All who live in the post-Jaws era know the dangers of something like a shark, whose very image is constant reminder of evolution perfected. A mantis shrimp, however spell-binding, is still something to be wary of and for good reason.
The two raptorial arms from which it gets it’s name can strike in less than 3/1000 of a second, the same velocity as a .22 caliber rifle. In other words, these appendages can accelerate at 23 meters per second, or around 50 mph in a fraction if a second. Even if this little bugger misses his target, the immediately surrounding water will boil and actually produce tiny bursts of light. It can even see in the infrared spectrum, due to the fact that it sees more than 5 times the number of primary colors than the human eye is capable of viewing. It also has three points if focus, compared to our two, giving it far better vision than we could ever hope to have. Beyond this, it also has incredibly resilient armor plating, which scientists are researching for use in next gen armor for soldiers in battle.
There’s a lot to learn from this little ball of bloodlust, but that’s exactly why the folks at Monterey Bay Aquarium brought it in for the public to get a glimpse of. There’s more than just a pretty exoskeleton to the Mantis Shrimp, and the scientists are keen to figure out just what that may be. So, if you’re as interested in seeing one of these guys up close, come on down to the Monterey Bay Aquarium on the world-famous Cannery Row and head on over to the Splash Zone. We hope you’ll be as captivated by this critter as we are here at Nerd Coast.
Come on down and get your geek on.
Nerd Coast 