[dramatic music]
NARRATOR: California two-spot octopus is on the petite side.
At just up to 1 and 1/2 feet, he's
a tasty morsel for hungry seals or ravenous moray eels.
Today, he's on the hunt, looking for shellfish.
[eerie music]
But octopus has stumbled onto a shellfish of the wrong kind--
California mantis shrimp.
Octopus' cousins should have warned him.
Mantis here is no shrimp, even if he looks like one.
Like others in his family, he's great at attack.
But he's also formidable at defense.
Octopus, however, gives chase, following
what he thinks is an easy meal.
It's a big mistake.
Once in his burrow, mantis takes a stance
and transforms into a warrior.
Called a meral spread, it's a warning to octopus to back off.
But octopus is not buying it.
Octopus isn't using any of his nine brains.
And mantis has had enough.
He pulls up his hammer claws and goes into attack.
His claws hit octopus with the speed and force of a bullet.
Octopus reels.
Nobody told him about those claws.
Mantis delivers another punch with a force
almost as strong as the crushing jaws of an African lion.
[ominous music]
Octopus retreats, but mantis is only just getting started.
This time, it's a bullseye right between the eyes.
Mantis gets ready for another round.
But octopus can't take it anymore.
He heads off to find some real shrimp.
A final meral spread reminds him, never judge
a creature by its looks again.