Please help identify this critter
- Thread starter becca10
- Start date
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it's not a pistol shrimp they have a distinctive claw kind of like a lobster. But it is a shrimp. If you don't like it you could make an snack out of it.
looks cool though.
looks cool though.
Intricateart
Well-Known Member
Looks like a snapping shrimp to me,and a nice one. Not sure what type as there are many?
Mike J.
2500 Club Member
Looks like a Pretty Snapping Shrimp to me.
View Alpheus bellulus
View Alpheus bellulus
Don't get discouraged we will figure it out.
I hope you don't mean pistol shrimp when you say snapping shrimp. It is not a pistol/snapping shrimp.
The snapping shrimp grows to only 1–2 inches (3–5 cm) long. It is distinctive for its remarkably disproportionate large claw, larger than half the shrimp's body. The claw can be on either arm of the body, and unlike most shrimp claws does not have typical pincers at the end. Rather, it has a pistol-like feature made of two parts. A joint allows the "hammer" part to move backward into a right-angled position. When released, it snaps into the other part of the claw, emitting an enormously powerful wave of bubbles capable of stunning larger fish and breaking small glass jars
The snapping shrimp competes with much larger animals such as the sperm whale and beluga whale for the title of loudest animal in the sea. The animal snaps a specialized claw shut to create a cavitation bubble that generates acoustic pressures of up to 80 kPa at a distance of 4 cm from the claw. As it extends out from the claw, the bubble reaches speeds of 60 miles per hour (97 km/h) and releases a sound reaching 218 decibels.[11] The pressure is strong enough to kill small fish.[12] It corresponds to a zero to peak pressure level of 218 decibels relative to one micropascal (dB re 1 μPa), equivalent to a zero to peak source level of 190 dB re 1 μPa at the standard reference distance of 1 m. Au and Banks measured peak to peak source levels between 185 and 190 dB re 1 μPa at 1 m, depending on the size of the claw.[13] Similar values are reported by Ferguson and Cleary.[14] The duration of the click is less than 1 millisecond.
The snap can also produce sonoluminescence from the collapsing cavitation bubble. As it collapses, the cavitation bubble reaches temperatures of over 5,000 K (4,700 °C).[15] In comparison, the surface temperature of the sun is estimated to be around 5,800 K (5,500 °C). The light is of lower intensity than the light produced by typical sonoluminescence and is not visible to the naked eye. It is most likely a by-product of the shock wave with no biological significance. However, it was the first known instance of an animal producing light by this effect. It has subsequently been discovered that another group of crustaceans, the mantis shrimp, contains species whose club-like forelimbs can strike so quickly and with such force as to induce sonoluminescent cavitation bubbles upon impact.[16]
The snapping is used for hunting (hence the alternative name "pistol shrimp"), as well as for communication. When feeding, the shrimp usually lies in an obscured spot, such as a burrow. The shrimp then extends its antennae outwards to determine if any fish are passing by. Once it feels movement, the shrimp inches out of its hiding place, pulls back its claw, and releases a "shot" which stuns the prey; the shrimp then pulls it to the burrow and feeds.
I have one in my reef and it doesn't bother anything. It used to make tons of noise at night but it doesn't do it that much anymore. it eats fish pelets so I think it is happy with that.
I hope you don't mean pistol shrimp when you say snapping shrimp. It is not a pistol/snapping shrimp.
The snapping shrimp grows to only 1–2 inches (3–5 cm) long. It is distinctive for its remarkably disproportionate large claw, larger than half the shrimp's body. The claw can be on either arm of the body, and unlike most shrimp claws does not have typical pincers at the end. Rather, it has a pistol-like feature made of two parts. A joint allows the "hammer" part to move backward into a right-angled position. When released, it snaps into the other part of the claw, emitting an enormously powerful wave of bubbles capable of stunning larger fish and breaking small glass jars
The snapping shrimp competes with much larger animals such as the sperm whale and beluga whale for the title of loudest animal in the sea. The animal snaps a specialized claw shut to create a cavitation bubble that generates acoustic pressures of up to 80 kPa at a distance of 4 cm from the claw. As it extends out from the claw, the bubble reaches speeds of 60 miles per hour (97 km/h) and releases a sound reaching 218 decibels.[11] The pressure is strong enough to kill small fish.[12] It corresponds to a zero to peak pressure level of 218 decibels relative to one micropascal (dB re 1 μPa), equivalent to a zero to peak source level of 190 dB re 1 μPa at the standard reference distance of 1 m. Au and Banks measured peak to peak source levels between 185 and 190 dB re 1 μPa at 1 m, depending on the size of the claw.[13] Similar values are reported by Ferguson and Cleary.[14] The duration of the click is less than 1 millisecond.
The snap can also produce sonoluminescence from the collapsing cavitation bubble. As it collapses, the cavitation bubble reaches temperatures of over 5,000 K (4,700 °C).[15] In comparison, the surface temperature of the sun is estimated to be around 5,800 K (5,500 °C). The light is of lower intensity than the light produced by typical sonoluminescence and is not visible to the naked eye. It is most likely a by-product of the shock wave with no biological significance. However, it was the first known instance of an animal producing light by this effect. It has subsequently been discovered that another group of crustaceans, the mantis shrimp, contains species whose club-like forelimbs can strike so quickly and with such force as to induce sonoluminescent cavitation bubbles upon impact.[16]
The snapping is used for hunting (hence the alternative name "pistol shrimp"), as well as for communication. When feeding, the shrimp usually lies in an obscured spot, such as a burrow. The shrimp then extends its antennae outwards to determine if any fish are passing by. Once it feels movement, the shrimp inches out of its hiding place, pulls back its claw, and releases a "shot" which stuns the prey; the shrimp then pulls it to the burrow and feeds.
I have one in my reef and it doesn't bother anything. It used to make tons of noise at night but it doesn't do it that much anymore. it eats fish pelets so I think it is happy with that.
I know it does look like a tiger pistol shrimp but both the claws are the same so I would say no.
bairdimusprime
Bill
looks just like my tiger pistol shrimp
Naiad
Valuable Member
It's a double barreled tiger pistol shrimp. It is rare but sometimes does happen where both claws grow into pistol claws. The tigers pistol claws are not as large as some other sp due to the symbiotic relationship with its goby. They use them for digging and defense rather than hunting like the larger clawed pistols. Im sure he will soon find himself a nice cave and start excavation plans for his burrow.
It does not have the distinct pistol claw but looks exactly like tiger pistol though. Is there anybody that has had a tiger pistol without the pistol claw
Mike J.
2500 Club Member
Since you have dissed my answer let me know when you "figure it out". There are at least 250 species of snapping shrimp. I stated it was a Alpheus Bellulus. Here is another picture of one - notice the claws are the same as the one pictured by OP.
Alpheus bellulus
That didn't copy correctly. Look at last picture in group of 10.
Alpheus bellulus
That didn't copy correctly. Look at last picture in group of 10.
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