Mantis shrimp
A mantis shrimp is a marine crustacean that hunts using specialised limbs to strike or spear prey. It belongs to the order Stomatopoda and has highly complex eyes capable of detecting polarised light.
Also known as: peacock mantis shrimp, stomatopod
How big is it?
10 cm · defined body length
Also 3.937 in
Defined body length · defined specimen
Typical recorded range: 6 cm to 18 cm.
A little perspective
Mantis shrimp vs Nudibranch: length comparison
The body length of a mantis shrimp is approximately equal to the body length of a nudibranch.
A mantis shrimp is a marine crustacean that hunts using specialised limbs to strike or spear prey.
A nudibranch is a soft-bodied marine mollusc, often brightly coloured, commonly known as a sea slug.
Both rulers start at the same zero and share one linear scale. Artwork keeps its original proportions.
Measurements, assumptions & sources +
Mantis shrimp
Defined body length: 10 cm; defined specimen; range 6 cm–18 cm.
A defined 10 cm peacock mantis shrimp specimen measured from rostrum to tail fan. Species range from a few centimetres to much larger forms; antennae are excluded.
Smithsonian Ocean — Mantis shrimp
The marked defined body length is calibrated. Unmeasured illustration details are representative.
Nudibranch
Defined body length: 10 cm; defined specimen; range 5 cm–15 cm.
A defined 10 cm dorid nudibranch specimen. Species range from millimetres to many centimetres; rhinophores and gill plume are included in the illustration but not the nose-to-tail calibration.
Smithsonian Ocean — Nudibranchs
The marked defined body length is calibrated. Unmeasured illustration details are representative.
Use the visual comparison to explore its scale, then check the measurements and sources.
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Why this measurement?
Why we use 10 cm
We compare the body length of a mantis shrimp. This is an illustrative comparison value, not a claim that every example is the same. The recorded range is 6 cm to 18 cm.
A defined 10 cm peacock mantis shrimp specimen measured from rostrum to tail fan. Species range from a few centimetres to much larger forms; antennae are excluded.
The marked horizontal span follows the measured feature, not the edges of the image. How calibrated comparisons work →
Recorded properties
Dimensions and measurements
| Property | Selected value | Recorded range | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 cm | 6 cm to 18 cm | defined specimen |
Around this scale
Explore nearby values.
Compare examples with lower, similar and higher values. Each card names the measurement being compared.
Nearest lower valueLiving thingsMouse9 cmBody lengthA mouse is a small rodent with a pointed snout and a long, thin tail.
Around the same scaleLiving thingsNudibranch10 cmDefined body lengthA nudibranch is a soft-bodied marine mollusc, often brightly coloured, commonly known as a sea slug.
Nearest higher valueLiving thingsEarthworm12 cmBody lengthAn earthworm is a segmented invertebrate that lives in soil and aids in decomposing organic material.Sources and method
Want to check the number?
The source records and measurement method remain available for inspection.
- Smithsonian Ocean — Mantis shrimpStomatopod anatomy and broad adult size variation; the atlas uses a defined specimen.
There’s always another scale
Follow your curiosity.
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