The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Mantis shrimp’s a knockout
Nature: Pint-sized crustracean with speedy jab named after champ boxer
A shrimp with a lightning fast punch is the latest tiny creature to gain boxing fame after being renamed Anthony Joshua.
The mantis shrimp joins butterflies and bees in being associated with a world champion boxer, catching aquarium visitors’ eyes with its speedy jab.
The pint-sized crustacean at Sea Life Blackpool, which only measures three inches high, even has his own boxing ring, made of reinforced perspex as he keeps breaking the glass on a normal tank.
It has the fastest jab of any creature on the planet, travelling as fast as a speeding bullet to knock out its prey.
Just like the new world heavyweight champion Joshua, who is 26 times its height, it uses lightning speed to overcome its prey.
Matthew Titherington, general manager at Sea Life Blackpool, said: “The mantis shrimp is an amazing creature.
“It seems so small and placid, but can suddenly unleash a ferocious, highspeed jab, which knocks out its prey.
“When some guests taking a tour around the aquarium saw its astounding punch, they asked us to rename him Anthony Joshua and we were happy to oblige.
“He certainly packs a punch like the new world champion.”
If a human could accelerate their arm just 10% as quickly as a mantis shrimp, they would be able to throw a cricket ball into space.
Additionally, it can strike so quickly that it makes the surrounding water boil. This produces destructive bubbles that
“It has the fastest jab of any creature on the planet”
quickly collapse, releasing energy in a process called cavitation.
It can kill prey even when the mantis shrimp’s jab misses and can crack ship propellers. Aquarists believe cavitation helps the mantis shrimp to break apart prey, such as snails.
Scott Blacker, head aquarist at Sea Life Blackpool, added: “Shrimp is a term used to describe any small crustacean.
“But the flyweight mantis shrimp fights massively above its weight. It has impressive forelimbs, which grow from both sides of its mouth, that a mantis shrimp wields to knock out prey.”