Mantis shrimp are ancient, fierce and more than a little weird.
Various forms of mantis shrimp have been around for an estimated 400 million years, and they aren’t like any other shrimp around. They are so freakishly strong that their appendages, called “clubs,” can smash crab shells and bust open clams. (Some varieties have spears rather than clubs, which are equally formidable.)
These clubs can also be used to used to dish out around 500 punches in under a second, delivering enough force to break glass.
And that's not all. Because these shrimp have incredible eyesight (they can see in two different directions at once), they strike with pinpoint accuracy.
There are about 400 different species of mantis shrimp, the most dazzling-looking of which is undoubtedly the multi-hued peacock mantis shrimp, pictured here.
The waters of Costa Rica and Bali are particularly rich with mantis shrimp; book a diving expedition to see one up close.