The mantis shrimp is not a true shrimp at all but a stomatopod — a flattened, armoured marine crustacean named for the folded, mantis-like raptorial claws it uses to spear or smash its prey. Its translucent tail meat is delicate, sweet and lobster-like, prized in Mediterranean, Japanese and Southeast Asian kitchens where it is steamed, grilled, fried or served raw atop sushi rice as "shako."