Pistol Shrimp
About the Pistol Shrimp
Their enlarged claw snaps shut so fast it creates a cavitation bubble that reaches 4,700 degrees C - nearly as hot as the surface of the sun. The bubble collapses with a 218 decibel snap, one of the loudest sounds in the ocean. The shockwave stuns or kills small prey. Colonies of snapping shrimp can be so loud they interfere with sonar. Over 600 species exist. Some species partner with gobies - the shrimp digs a burrow while the goby acts as a lookout. Their snap was studied for engineering applications. They can regrow their snapping claw if lost.
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