Which marine animal has the fastest punch in the animal kingdom?

The mantis shrimp has the fastest punch in the animal kingdom.

Some mantis shrimp, especially so-called smashers, strike with club-like appendages that accelerate extraordinarily quickly. The movement is powered by a spring-and-latch system in the animal’s specialized limbs. When the latch releases, stored elastic energy drives the club forward far faster than ordinary muscle contraction alone could manage.

The strike can create cavitation bubbles in the surrounding water. When those bubbles collapse, they produce additional heat and pressure, so prey may be damaged not only by the club itself but also by the effects of the collapsing bubble. Mantis shrimp use these strikes to break shells and other hard coverings.

Mantis shrimp are not true shrimp; they are stomatopods, a separate group of marine crustaceans. They are also famous for unusually complex eyes, which can detect polarized light. Their punch is often compared with a bullet because of its speed, but the animal’s spring-loaded mechanism is the key biological feature behind the famous blow.