Pistol Shrimp

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News– Researchers from the School of Industrial Fisheries at Cochin University of Science and Technology discovered a new pistol shrimp species in Kochi backwaters.

Pistol Shrimp
Source- MPEDA

About Pistol Shrimp

  • The Pistol Shrimp, also known as the Snapping Shrimp, is a marine crustacean classified under the family Alpheidae.
  • It has one disproportionately large claw that can generate an intense underwater shockwave.
  • The snapping mechanism produces a cavitation bubble rather than firing a solid object.
  • When this bubble collapses, it causes sonoluminescence, resulting in a brief flash of light.
  • The temperature within the collapsing bubble may rise to nearly 4,400°C, comparable to the surface temperature of the Sun.
  • The snapping sound can reach approximately 218 decibels, ranking among the loudest biological noises in marine environments.
  • These shrimps are widely distributed worldwide, particularly in tropical and temperate coral reefs and seagrass habitats; they typically inhabit burrows and, in some species, form mutualistic associations with goby fishes.
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