Few People Know South Carolina’s Popular Beaches Are Hiding a Dark and Terrifying Secret

South Carolina’s beaches are among the state’s most beautiful scenery, attracting both locals and travelers from outside of the state. People enjoy relaxing and playing on the beach, as well as swimming in the ocean, surfing, fishing, and other activities. And while people are widely aware of risks such as jellyfish stings and, occasionally, sharks, there’s another reason to be cautious about the potentially dangerous nature spot in South Carolina the beaches could be.

If you’re more of the type of person who prefers staying on the beach reading, playing, or just relaxing, you’re not at high risk for harm from this potential danger.

But if you enjoy fishing or getting in the ocean at all, you want to be aware of this predator you may not have heard about before now.

This creature, called the mantis shrimp, holds the title for fastest punch in the animal kingdom, with club-like appendages reaching the speed of a .22-caliber slug, shattering clamshells with ease, and can slice human fingers to the bone. There are around 550 known species of mantis shrimp, but since they have a solitary nature it is suspected there could be many more.

Many mantis shrimp have bright, beautiful coloring.

The peacock mantis shrimp is one of the largest and most colorful of all the differing species.

Others vary in color from brown to the black and white stripes of the zebra mantis shrimp.

The animal is technically not even a shrimp, but rather, a stomatopod, a distant relative of crabs, lobsters, and shrimp. They got the mantis shrimp name because they resemble a mix between a praying mantis and a shrimp.

One of the most fascinating things about these creatures is their highly specialized eyes, a secret weapon of sorts for their hunting capabilities.

They have incredible distance vision, able to work out how far away objects are that they’re looking at using a single eye. They also see ultraviolet light and have color detectors that not only see the visible light we see but in eight color channels as opposed to the three primary colors we see.

Some people have been injured by mantis shrimp while trying to remove them from fishing rods or nets or by accidentally stepping on them, as they are known to burrow into holes to camouflage themselves. For this reason, it’s a good idea to just be aware and cautious, whether with yourself or your children and pets.

There have been no deaths associated with injuries inflicted by mantis shrimp. Although there can be intense pain and bleeding, those who received proper medical care have healed within a reasonable period.

Most mantis shrimp inhabit the tropics, and almost all of them live in shallow, marine waters. They have been found along the shores of South Carolina.

Did you already know about the mantis shrimp? If so, we’d love to hear how you first learned of these fascinating, scary creatures in the comments below!