Pistol Shrimp ( ESSAY )

Alpheidae, most commonly known as pistol shrimp or alpheid shrimp, is a family of caridean snapping shrimp, characterized by having asymmetrical claws, the biggest of them all can produce a loud snapping sound, which is either for scaring predator, killing prey, or to battle against their own species. Most snapping shrimp dig burrows, and are common inhabitants of coral reefs, submerged sea grass flats, and oyster reefs. Their family is diverse, and the population is distributed worldwide, consisting of about 600 species within 38 or more genera. Their scientific classification is:

•  Kingdom: Animalia
•  Phylum: Arthropoda
•  Subphylum: Crustacea
•  Class: Malacostraca
•  Order: Decapoda
•  Infraorder: Caridea
•  Superfamily: Alpheoidea
•  Family: Alpheidae

The snapping shrimp can grow to about 1-2 inches ( 3-5 cm long ). It is distinctive for the large claw, that can reach to more than half the length of it's already small body. The claw can be on either arm of the body. Unlike most shrimps, it lacks the pincers. But it do have a pistol-like feature made of two parts, one part can open up to about a 90 degree angle. Then to shoot, it slams the two parts together to create a enormous, powerful, super-hot bubble. Believe it or not, the bubble can reach temperatures up to about 4000 degrees C. That's almost as hot as the sun's temperature!!! The snapping shrimp also competes with the beluga whale and the sperm whale for title of the loudest animal in the sea. The pistol shrimp's "pistol" can reach up to 218 decibels. Think about it. An animal 1-2 inches long competing with an animal 18 feet long for having the loudest noise in the sea. That just blows my mind away.....