Pistol Shrimp
by Sarah Turcotte
…
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Malacostraca
Order:
Decapoda
Family:
Alpheidae
Genus:
Alpheus
Species:
Tiger shrimp
The pistol shrimp may
only be 2cm long but
can make a noise
louder than Concorde's
sonic boom
Habitat
A pistol
shrimp’s best
friend
Coral reefs and sea grass beds; coral rubble, large
stones, conch shells etc., associated with the sea
Pistol Shrimp is nocturnal
in habit and is therefore,
active at night.
Pistol Shrimp Diet
… one claw that serves as a typical pincher and one enlarged
claw that they use to generate an underwater shockwave to
stun smaller shrimps.
Respiration & Circulatory system
Movement
You may not of known…
but shrimps in order to
move pull their abdomen
in toward their body very
quickly. This motion
propels them through the
water but because of
their configuration it
means it is easier for
them to be moving
backwards.
Adaptations
Reproduction
… in her third year, she
can often lay more than
25,000 eggs
Moulting :
known as sloughing,
shedding, or for some
species, ecdysis, is the
manner in which an
animal routinely casts off
a part of its body
Cicada molting
Predators
Because the
eyesight of a
pistol shrimp
is not very
strong, the
goby acts as a
body guard
working for
food and a
place to stay.
General Characteristics of the Pistol Shrimp
When the pistol
shrimp snaps
this claw shut it
will generate a
cavitations
bubble which is
basically a
shockwave.
This bubble will
momentarily
reach
temperatures of
4700 degrees
Celsius!!!!
Did you know ??
Pistol shrimp can create enough heat from this
claw that it is actually comparable to the sun’s
temperature
Don’t worry, if you happen to be in the area of the pistol shrimp,
it will only feel like getting hit with an elastic band.
Pistol Shrimp sonic weapon