JONESBORO, AR – A new paper by Arkansas State University professor Dr. Don Chickley suggests that mantis shrimp may be less intelligent than previously thought. For years, the prevailing theory has been that the intelligence of these carnivorous crustaceans ranks above most common species such as the alaskan pink shrimp, whiteleg shrimp, and even the feisty giant tiger prawn. However, Dr. Chickley’s paper throws these conventions to the wind and suggests that they are more comparable to the lowly cherry shrimp. The controversial study has sent shockwaves throughout the scientific community and has come under fire from some of the more prominent shrimp researchers.
Dr. Sandra Rosendale was quick to rush to the mantis shrimp’s defense stating that “If any respectable scientist can replicate his study, I will resign”. Dr. Rosendale is the chair of the Department of Marine Biology & Ecology at the University of Miami and has built her career on the mantis shrimp being one of the ocean’s more intelligent shrimp. Her doctoral thesis, Why I Love Mantis Shrimp and Their Big Ol’ Domes, made her a superstar in the world of crustacean intelligence research. Rosendale has also said that Dr. Chickley may simply be making an attempt to justify his consumption of sea food.
A rarity among marine biologists, Chickley diet consists primarily of seafood. A rumor circulated online in 2017 that he had used university funds to purchase thousands of mantis shrimp under the guise of research, but instead proceeded to eat them. While these claims remain unsubstantiated, the professor stood to save significantly on his grocery bill.