Can a mantis shrimp strike faster than a blink?

The Claim

Mantis shrimp have one of nature's fastest strikes.

The Answer

Smithsonian and university research describe mantis shrimp strikes as extremely fast, powered by stored elastic energy rather than ordinary muscle speed alone.

Why This Is Surprising

It sounds like the kind of claim that races around social feeds without context. The source trail matters because the best version of the wonder is the verified one.

How We Checked It

We looked for an authoritative primary source, checked the wording against at least one credible secondary source when available, and recorded the last review date.