Government officials in New Zealand are investigating how an aggressive species known as “the thumb splitter” ended up in the country’s northern coastal waters. Researchers out trapping Asian paddle ...

Nature is full of beauty and verdant wonder, but there’s a darker side. Just beyond the edge of the environment’s allure sits violence. Nature seems to love a good fight, and it doesn’t discriminate.

Known for their powerful punch, mantis shrimp can smash a shell with the force of a .22 caliber bullet. Yet, amazingly, these tough critters remain intact despite the intense shockwaves created by ...

Peacock mantis shrimp like Douglas are “called thumb-splitters in the aquarium business,” said Elliot Provance, director of living collections and exhibitions at Discovery Place. ALEX CASON Among the ...