peacock mantis shrimp

English

Noun

peacock mantis shrimp (plural peacock mantis shrimps)

  1. A mantis shrimp of species Odontodactylus scyllarus, with keen eyesight, that smashes shells and exoskeletons of its prey and is capable of breaking through glass aquarium tanks.
    Synonyms: painted mantis shrimp, rainbow mantis shrimp, clown mantis shrimp, harlequin mantis shrimp
    Hypernym: mantis shrimp
    • 2014 April 26, Meeri Kim, “Peacock mantis shrimp’s swift, deadly punch inspires superstrong composite materials”, in The Washington Post‎:
      The title of fastest punch in the animal kingdom firmly belongs to the peacock mantis shrimp, whose club-like appendages reach the speed of a .22-caliber slug, shatter clamshells with ease and can slice human fingers to the bone.

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