MOST QUEER
ANIMAL
ANIMAL NUMBER
--12
SARASIJ
MAJUMDER
While I was in school, I studied
BIOLOGY, as a part of my science curriculum.
Since then, I remain interested in
both—Plant World, and Animal World.
I keep on reading something very interesting,
and like to share. Today, I will share
about a sea-animal, not known beyond the Specialists in Ocean animals.
PISTOL SHRIMP:
Although
it is rarely mentioned in most dangerous animal lists, thus guy (standing
proudly at 4′’) is one of the loudest on the planet, and is able to kill preys
through sheer sound and generated heat.
Being
called a shrimp doesn't exactly make
you known for having sizable strength or an intimidating presence. But there's
one little weird wonder of the sea — the pistol shrimp — that crushes the
stereotype in a dramatic way. It's so powerful it not only shoots and
annihilates its prey; it has thrown the U.S. Navy off track once, during WWII
(SONAR CONFUSION), landed a superhero role on Netflix and even helped
researchers make strides in fighting climate change. Pistol shrimp, also known
as snapping shrimp, earn their sea cred by creating something that's seemingly
childlike and innocuous: bubbles. But these definitely aren't your ordinary
bubbles — they make a sound louder than a gun and generate massive amount of
heat
Pistol
shrimp are inspiring researchers in England as they work to replicate the
process that heats up the sun, fusion power, to create an abundance of
clean, safe energy — giving a big boost to the fight against climate change.
Fusion power needs a high-velocity projectile to create a shockwave and
collapse a plasma-filled cavity, and the pistol shrimp are the only creatures
on Earth who naturally have such powers.
Pistol
shrimp "shoot" these deadly bubbles to kill prey, jackhammer into
rock to create burrows or protect said burrows from other, jealous shrimp. They
have no need for a fancy holster or to stock up on ammo — their gun is built
right into their one, oversized snapper claw that can grow to be half the size
of their tiny body.
The monstrous sound isn't actually caused
by the parts of the claw impacting each other. As the shrimp open their large
snapper claw, water fills the small crook. Upon closing the claw with
impressive force, a plunger-like piece shoots the water out at speeds as fast as
a car traveling down the highway. This creates a powerful bubble that not only
kills what's in its path but creates a ridiculously loud sound when it pops.
Here are some fun facts about the pistol shrimps:
A
normal human conversation measures typically about 60 decibels (dB). Many
animals can produce sounds (such as roars and screeches) North of the 100 dB
sound of a jackhammer. And the sperm whale — which typically holds the claim to
fame for loudness — clocks in at an impressive 230 dB.
Pistol
shrimp have one very large snapper claw that has a pistol-like feature. The
shrimp cocks one side of the claw and snaps it against the other side so fast
that it fires a bubble bullet at up to 62 miles per hour and
creating a 218 dB shock wave as the bubble bursts. It is that very sonic shock
wave which stuns the shrimp’s prey.
Theoretically,
218 dB is enough to kill a human being (if nearby), by the way.
As
the bubble bursts, it emits short blasts of light which arise from the bubbles
imploding in the surrounding water, and reaches temperatures of 8,000° F. (In
comparison: the surface temperature of the Sun is estimated to be between 7,300- 9,950° F.
Many
species of pistol shrimp live in clusters, likely as a form of protection. And
a few species work together with other types of animals. Pistol shrimp are
known to give gobies, a type of small fish, a place to live in exchange for
help watching out for danger.
Pistol
shrimp most often live in coral reefs and beds of sea grass. Duck your head
under water in temperate and tropical regions, and you'll likely hear from one
of the more than 600 species that exist around the globe.
In
the film "Project Power," created by Netflix,
the character played by Jamie Foxx is granted a few minutes of pistol shrimp
power to turn raindrops into high-speed jets that decimate anything in their
path. Who knew such a little critter could make such a big impact on the big
screen?
The
monstrous snapper claw indeed does all the dirty work, but the smaller claw has
some superpowers of its own. If attacked, pistol shrimp will let go of their
huge snapper for self-preservation. Luckily, they'll not only grow a new one;
their original small pincer will begin to transform itself into a large snapper
claw. This gives them a head start in getting back on the path to shooting
bubbles.
Vast
colonies of pistol shrimps have been known to create such a colossal
disturbance that the sound will echo through canoes and other watercraft,
keeping sailors awake at night. The noise can become so intense that it can
even disrupt sonar equipment.
So,
brace yourself when you are doing some deep-sea diving on a Sunny afternoon,
and you hear these mysterious snaps coming closer and closer while you are
unknowingly nearing a shoal of pistol shrimp. Because the fire squad is getting
ready to shoot its next victim —
And
the target is you.
Sources:
1.0
https://wildlyinformative.substack.com/p/uncover-the-amazing-biodiversity
2.0https://www.reddit.com/r/superpower/comments/wdni8z/if_a_person_had_the_powers_of_a_pistol_shrimp_how/
3.0
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-young-shrimp-can-shut-their-claws-as-fast-as-a-speeding-bullet-180981724/
Image—Courtesy from: MARINE
ZOOLOGY by P.J. Rufford
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