Dactyl clubs are hammer-like structures located on each side of a mantis shrimp’s body. They store energy in elastic ...

Despite their name, mantis shrimp are not true shrimp but a type of stomatopod: a relative of crabs and lobsters that has been on Earth for over 400 million years. There are more than 400 ...

Powerful punch Peacock mantis shrimp use a complex system of biological latches and springs in their dactyl clubs to unleash a punch at a speed of 75 feet per second (23 meters per second ...

A mantis shrimp's punch creates high-energy waves. Its exoskeleton is designed to absorb that energy, preventing cracking and tissue damage.

In a new study, scientists tested the complex layers in the animal’s clubs that serve as mighty shields to absorb the shock of the impact Sara Hashemi Daily Correspondent Mantis shrimp are ...

The mantis shrimp comes equipped with its own weapons. It has claws that look like permanently clenched fists that are known as dactyl clubs. But when it smashes the shells of its prey ...

With a single blow, a mantis shrimp can kill prey or defend its territory against rivals. A study published in Science explores the mechanisms that allow the mantis shrimp's striking limb to ...

There are plenty of scary creatures on Earth (and especially in the ocean), but one of the most powerful might come as a surprise. After all, it's pretty tiny.