In the depths of the ocean, particularly in warmer climates, a beast resides. Although small, this animal can deliver a deadly blow without even having contact with its prey. Lying in wait for its unfortunate prey the beast patiently waits. This fantastic animal is a Pistol Shrimp.
Pistol Shrimp are a bottom dwelling shrimp with an amazing feature: their claws. With an amazing strength, one of its claws has the snapping force to generate a pressure bubble that travels up to 60 miles per hour away from the claw and that emits a sound of 218 decibels (piratefx.hubpages.com). This amazing claw that takes up most of the 1-2 inch body of the shrimp is used to stun and kill the shrimp’s prey. The loud sound emission and force generated by the shrimp’s claws do not only put the shrimp very close to the top of the list for loudest marine animals with the sperm and beluga whales, but also give the shrimp a very effective killing method. The shrimp waits in its shelter until a fish or fellow shrimp passes by, and then it ventures out, cocks its large claw like a pistol (the origin of the name,) and then blasts its prey with a sonic boom that temporarily stuns the prey (succeedsocially/cool animals.com). This ultimately killing blow can create temperatures that compare to that of the sun for brief periods of time.
The Pistol Shrimp lives in more tropical climates like the mediterranean and other warm bodies of water, but it has recently migrated to more northerly waters around the U.K (news.nationalgeographic.com). Although various species exist, they all share common characteristics. One species interacts with the Goby fish in a symbiotic relationship, while some create a complex social network of a colony. The fact that a Pistol Shrimp has the ability to convert its smaller claw into the pistol claw if the original pistol claw is damaged also poses another scientifically interesting aspect of the shrimp.
The Pistol Shrimp spies its prey after a long period of wait. It slowly proceeds out of its hole and cocks its claw. Then, with a crack, the shrimp stuns its prey and drags it back into its den. This one brief sighting, spanning only a few seconds, was a quick insight into the life of the deep, dangerous Pistol Shrimp.