Warning for dangerous mantis shrimp that can crush fingers in bones

An alert has been issued about a potentially dangerous shrimp species in US waters.

Lurking just off the shores of South Carolina’s coast, the crustacean boasts a unique set of “thumb splinters” capable of slicing human fingers on bone.

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The flat-topped, kitchen creature is called mantis shrimp, but they don’t have much meat and it’s not considered good quality, according to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR).

As stomatopods, the creatures aren’t technically even shrimp. Instead, they are distant relatives of crab, lobster, and shrimp.

They get their name because they appear like a mix between a praying mantis and a shrimp.

With over 450 species of mantis shrimp worldwide, they are a common sight in a variety of different colors and can grow anywhere from 12 to 15 inches in length.

It’s the claw of the kind that fishermen need to watch out for.

The Washington Post wrote: “The title of the fastest stroke in the animal kingdom firmly belongs to the peacock mantis shrimp, whose club-like appendages can reach the speed of a 22-caliber slug, shatter clamshells with ease and slice human fingers on the panes. Bone.”

Mantis shrimp use two types of hunting to gather their food, according to Earthsky.com.

Smashing mantis shrimp have calcified fore imbs, which they use to deliver a powerful strike, according to the Great Barrier Reef Foundation.

Penetrating with sharp front bottoms, mantis shrimp predators and prey.

According to Lamar University’s Department of Biology, the mantis shrimp can attack at high speeds.

Their experts say, “They have a unique array of ‘thumb splitters,’ or small appendages, which they use to break or crack open shells of other crustaceans to retrieve food and nutrients.”

“They are the fastest known organism due to their rapid descents, which can reach up to 170 miles per hour.”

The fleshy crustacean commonly found in local waters along the coast of South Carolina and along the southeastern United States, and can be found in shallow tropical or subtropical waters.

According to the university, the shrimp aren’t all evil.

Mantis shrimp are used ecologically for their coral reefs.

That’s because they’re sensitive to surrounding environmental pollutants and their behavior can indicate when conditions may be poor.