In New Zealand, government officials are looking into how a species called the "thumb splitter" wound up in the country's northern coastal waters.

Researchers had been out trapping Asian paddle crabs, an invasive species, in Tauranga Harbor when they realized they had caught a Japanese mantis shrimp.

"It's the first time one has been found in the Bay of Plenty region, but it's not something to celebrate," officials said. "Japanese mantis shrimp can easily be confused with a native species that is of similar size and color."

So far, only one has been caught and properly identified by researchers, but they have received several reports about other sightings from the public.

They are now using this information to figure out just how widespread the species might be in the region. They are also working on coming up with a response plan.

The Japanese mantis shrimp was first reported in New Zealand in 2010 in Kaipara Harbor. The species is known to make a low, rumbling growl.

The nickname "thumb splitter" was coined for them because they have the ability to punch their way through aquarium glass and are strong enough to split open human thumbs.

Japanese mantis shrimp can alter their native habitats by digging burrows, and they may compete with native species for food and space. They have thin maroon lines running down the length of their bodies and a yellow and blue tail fan.

So, how can mantis shrimp throw such powerful punches without injuring themselves in the process? The answer is in their appendages, which can withstand extreme force.

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The clubs that they use to bludgeon their prey and break glass consist of chitin, a hard but semi-flexible material, and calcium phosphate.

The end result is a structure that can smash against things and absorb huge amounts of force without breaking. Their clubs also leave behind underwater cavitation bubbles.

These are pockets of air created by fast-moving liquids. The bubbles have enough power to stun prey even if the mantis shrimp happens to have poor aim. For a very brief moment, the bubbles also reach a temperature greater than the sun's surface.

"The smasher mantis shrimp has evolved this exceptionally strong and impact-resistant...club for one primary purpose -- to be able to eat," said David Kisailus, the lead researcher of a 2016 study on mantis shrimp and an engineering professor at the University of California, Riverside.

"However, the more we learn about this tiny creature and its multilayered structural designs, the more we realize how much it can help us as we design better planes, cars, sports equipment, and armor."

Aside from studying mantis shrimp to build stronger devices, we should probably stay away from them -- unless you're looking to get punched!