Mantis shrimp larvae can pack a punch nine days after hatching

Impact is on par with adult punch and larvae can move fast enough to capture prey, researchers observed

There's a small, iridescent crustacean you might have heard of: its powerful punch can crack holes in aquarium glass and be deployed at the speed of a bullet. These aggressive critters - called mantis shrimp - can also be trigger happy, keen to pummel prey, predators and even their own kind if the need arises.

So how old do offspring have to be to unleash blows? Pretty young it turns out. Mantis shrimp larvae can bludgeon their dinner nine to 15 days after hatching, researchers have found.