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

Pistol Shrimp is nocturnal in habit and is therefore, active at night. A pistol shrimp’s best friend Coral reefs and sea grass beds; coral rubble, large stones, conch shells etc., associated with the sea Habitat

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 : Cicada molting known as sloughing, shedding, or for some species, ecdysis, is the manner in which an animal routinely casts off a part of its body

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 Did you know ?? Pistol shrimp can create enough heat from this claw that it is actually comparable to the sun’s temperature 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!!!! 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