Mantis shrimp

Mantis shrimp are marine crustaceans in the order Stomatopoda. They capture prey with specialized raptorial appendages and have unusually complex eyes.

Raptorial appendage: A specialized limb that mantis shrimp use to seize or strike prey. Its structure and action distinguish the two main hunting styles.
Stomatopoda: An order of marine crustaceans commonly called mantis shrimp. This is the taxonomic group that contains every mantis shrimp.
Biomimicry: The design practice of drawing ideas from structures and processes found in living organisms. Research on stomatopod armor and eyes has inspired engineered materials and optical devices.
Smasher mantis shrimp: A mantis shrimp with a club-shaped raptorial appendage used to strike prey. Smashers attack hard-shelled prey with high-speed impacts.
Peacock mantis shrimp: A large Indo-Pacific mantis shrimp species, Odontodactylus scyllarus, known for vivid coloring and forceful strikes. It is a widely studied example of a club-wielding stomatopod.
Mantis shrimp vision: The visual system of mantis shrimp, featuring multiple photoreceptor types and specialized eye movements. Their compound eyes detect visual information in ways unlike human eyes.
Malacostraca: The largest class of crustaceans, including crabs, lobsters, shrimp, and stomatopods. Stomatopoda belongs to this broad crustacean class.
Structural coloration: Color produced by microscopic structures that alter light, rather than by pigments alone. Mantis shrimp shells use nanoscale structures that can generate vivid colors.
Spearer mantis shrimp: A mantis shrimp with a spined raptorial appendage used to impale prey. Spearers capture soft-bodied prey with a thrust rather than a club strike.
Mantis shrimp burrow: A tunnel or cavity in sediment or reef substrate occupied by a mantis shrimp. Burrows provide shelter and serve as defended sites for ambush and reproduction.

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