Fisherman Reels In Giant 'Shrimp' (PHOTO)

Holy Catfish, Look At This Giant 'Shrimp'

We're terrified of this giant shrimp because we're allergic to oxymorons.

Lucky for us, we don't have to get anywhere near the behemoth, because a fisherman in Fort Pierce, Florida, reeled 'er in, snapped a photo and handed the photo over to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

mantis shrimp

On its Facebook page, the commission reported that the 18-inch crustacean is likely a mantis shrimp, which is neither a shrimp nor a mantis. It's closer to the lobster family.

There are more than 400 species of mantis shrimp worldwide, according to the National Aquarium. If this is a mantis shrimp, the fisherman is lucky he didn't leave with a black eye. Some species of mantis shrimp can punch with the speed of a .22 caliber bullet, with enough force to crack glass.

We're not sure what the fisherman did with the mantis shrimp, but Serious Eats reports that they're delicious if cooked right. If the photo above makes you hungry, we've got tips for eating as many shrimp as possible right here.

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