Peacock Mantis Shrimp
Odontodactylus scyllarus · oh-don-toh-DAK-tih-lus sy-LAR-us
diurnalsolitaryNot Evaluated
EdibleUnfriendlyDangerous
Superpower
Throws the fastest punch in nature — fast enough to boil the water around it.
At a glance
- Size
- typically 10 cm, up to 18 cm
- Lifespan
- 4–6 years
- Depth
- 3–40 m
Habitat
Burrows in reef rubble and sand.
Diet
Snails, crabs and shellfish, smashed open with its clubs.
Can I eat it?
Yes — edible · tastiness 4/10.
How to cook: Eaten in some places, but small and mostly shell.
Safety
- Dangerous4/10
Its club-strike can crack aquarium glass and split a finger.
Fun facts
- Its strike accelerates like a .22 bullet and briefly boils the water.
- It has the most complex eyes known, with up to 16 colour receptors.
- It can see polarised and ultraviolet light we can't imagine.