Figure 1: Fractured shell impacted by a stomatopod dactyl club, and overview of dactyl clubs visualized by macro-photography and microCT scan. Although compelling details of the structural design and ...

The mantis shrimp comes equipped with its own weapons. It has claws that look like permanently clenched fists that are known as dactyl clubs. But when it smashes the shells of its prey, these fists ...

Purdue doctoral student Nicolás Guarín-Zapata holds a "dactyl club," the mantis shrimp uses to pummel the shells of hapless prey. New findings about the structure's natural design could lead to super ...