people keep talking about how mantis shrimps can or cannot see multiple colors but can we talk about how fucking violent they are
Like dude
What the fuck
I did animal care at a zoo with a peacock mantis shrimp that had been donated because a hobbyist originally put the mantis shrimp in an aquarium with several very large and aggressive predatory fish and the mantis shrimp murdered them all within 24 hours.
Mantis shrimp are named for their very fast and powerful front claws. When the claws strike forward at prey, they have the same acceleration as a .22 calibre bullet. Even if the claw itself misses, just the resulting shock wave is often enough to kill prey. They have been known to break through aquarium glass in a single punch.
The shrimp also has the most complex eyes in the animal kingdom, capable of seeing 12 primary colours, compared to the 3 that humans can see.
Just one of those things that I always wondered about. Stags and otters are all very well, but what if you end up with a tiny chameleon or giant blue whale? I mean, it could be a giant tub of nutella…
Anyway, so glad I got around to doing this pic -drawing the less attractive animals was awesome.
Popped it up on Redbubble because they have tote bags and cushions now which is just wow - can grab it also on cards or posters - check it out here!
Various illustrations created for another Earth Touch / Smithsonian Channel documentary - CRAZY MONSTER: DIGGERS, which will air on June 16! The illustrations are used as an interlude to each species and were animated as well, so I’m really looking forward to seeing how that turned out!
Mantis shrimp are super beautiful looking, with lots of crazy colors. But you can’t even say that to their face, just like how you can’t tell Stephen Hawking “Hey uh I looked at that math you did and I thought it was real nice,” because he’ll just think you’re a fucking idiot. Mantis shrimp can see in ways that I can’t even begin to understand. They can see in spectrums I’ve never even HEARD of. They can see at least four basic colors where humans can only see three, they can see polarized light, ultraviolet light, infra-red light; basically if it’s a kind of light, mantis shrimp can see it. And each eye has trinocular vision, like how you would see things if you had THREE eyes. Each one of their eyes is as good as having three eyes in your face. So while you’re seeing things from two angles right now (or maybe just one if you had an incident), a mantis shrimp is seeing the world from SIX angles. Have I explained this enough for you to understand how crazy it is? Also they have just the craziest attack claws you’ve ever heard of. Some people think that one of the reasons they have such crazy eyes so that they can see their crazy attack claws going as fast as a bullet. I’m so glad that these things are tiny (but not that tiny) and live at the bottom of the ocean. If they were like four feet long and hung out under porches, I would hang myself. I couldn’t live in that kind of world.
Mantis shrimp (which aren’t a shrimp but a “stomatopod” which are more closely related to krill) have 12 types of color receptors in their eyes compared to our measly 3 receptors. We used to think this meant they could see a whole range of dazzling colors beyond our comprehension.
Some people were (rightfully) jealous.
However, it turns out that mantis shrimp probably have so many color receptors because they don’t blend colors the way we do. When you look at something purple, your red and blue receptors are strongly stimulated while your green receptors are not and your brain synthesizes this information into purple. When a mantis shrimp looks at something purple, they have a specific purple receptor that is stimulated.
Why this weird system? Probably because it is faster and more efficient. Mantis shrimp need to distinguish between prey species and react extremely quickly (some species can punch 50x faster than the blink of an eye), so they don’t have time to do the mental calculations to blend colors.
Not only is the Forbidden Shrimp Color Knowledge a sham, but mantis shrimp can actually see fewer colors than we can because they can’t distinguish as many shades between colors. They also can’t see those cursed Imaginary Colors.
A lot of people reblogging this seem to think I’m somehow denigrating the mantis shrimp. Not so!
Although the “hundreds of colors humans couldn’t even imagine because they have 12 types of color receptors” thing isn’t really true, mantis shrimp do have incredible visual systems and they can see some kinds of light that are inaccessible to us lowly primates (like ultraviolet and polarized light–including circularly polarized light which no other animal can see).
Mantis shrimp also have “hexnocular vision” which means their eyes can calculate depth perception independently of each other with three points of comparison each (compared to our binocular vision with requires both eyes to get any depth perception).
In fact, the visual system of mantis shrimp is so unique and complex that scientists have used it as inspiration to improve upon technologies like satellites and tools to diagnose cancer. Here’s a clip from the lab involved in “debunking” the Forbidden Shrimp Colors (spoiler: they are clearly still supremely impressed with mantis shrimp vision).
Further information if you’re a stomatopod nerd like me: (1) (2)
Mantis shrimp (which aren’t a shrimp but a “stomatopod” which are more closely related to krill) have 12 types of color receptors in their eyes compared to our measly 3 receptors. We used to think this meant they could see a whole range of dazzling colors beyond our comprehension.
Some people were (rightfully) jealous.
However, it turns out that mantis shrimp probably have so many color receptors because they don’t blend colors the way we do. When you look at something purple, your red and blue receptors are strongly stimulated while your green receptors are not and your brain synthesizes this information into purple. When a mantis shrimp looks at something purple, they have a specific purple receptor that is stimulated.
Why this weird system? Probably because it is faster and more efficient. Mantis shrimp need to distinguish between prey species and react extremely quickly (some species can punch 50x faster than the blink of an eye), so they don’t have time to do the mental calculations to blend colors.
Not only is the Forbidden Shrimp Color Knowledge a sham, but mantis shrimp can actually see fewer colors than we can because they can’t distinguish as many shades between colors. They also can’t see those cursed Imaginary Colors.
Humans have 3 cones in our eyes for red, green and blue that let us see a spectrum of colors. Dogs only have 2 cones, so their color range is limited. Mantis shrimp have 12 cones and we have no idea what they can see! More in my latest animated video: https://www.facebook.com/353038418482024/videos/360470234405509/
“The peacock mantis shrimp (Odontodactylus scyllarus) uses two appendages called dactyl clubs to pummel its prey like aquatic Rock ‘Em Sock 'Em Robots—that is, if kids’ toys could punch fast enough to boil water and split fingers to the bone. These wrecking ball “fists” spring forth from their bodies at 50 mph, accelerating quicker than a .22-caliber bullet. At those speeds, the water surrounding them briefly reaches the temperature of the Sun’s surface. When the dactyl clubs hit their target, they deliver 160 pounds of force, smashing through shells like a lightning-fast crab mallet.” (Source)
“Did you know that, because the mantis shrimp’s club can withstand incredible force, researchers believe that understanding its structure can help design body armor, protective sports gear and aerospace equipment?
Peacock mantis shrimp really pack a punch. A blow from one of their club-like appendages is quick—50 times faster than the blink of an eye—and deadly to prey.” (Source)
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