Hopefully we don’t cause these marvels to go into extinction, but it seems they’re pretty capable with their claws and punch anyhow.
I want to point out the colors of the mantis shrimp and allude to sexual selection here. Think about how sexual dimorphism occurs through this selection, and those organisms have a somewhat “primitive” eyesight, comparatively. These mothers have an intensely complex eyesight, so their color and dimorphism is almost essentially ours on crack. I only wish I could see exactly how awesome they really do look.
More gorgeous “shrimp” for your day: The Mantis Shrimp
Despite their name, the mantis shrimps are neither shrimp nor mantises, but receive their name purely from the physical resemblance to both the praying mantis and the shrimp. These creatures are sometimes referred to as “thumb splitters” because their claws are strong enough to split human appendages. These highly intelligent creatures are often monogamous and they get to know and regularly interact with their neighbors. The mantis shrimp also has the best eyesight in the animal world with 16 different photoreceptor types (compared to four in humans). But – what really makes these creatures badass is their ability to break out of aquariums by smashing the glass with their claws. It has a punch stronger than a .22 calibre pistol.and their eyes could lead to the new generation of DVD players
(via lickystickypickywe)
