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Old 07-19-2009, 03:37 PM
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I saw this article about the shrimp a while ago and thought it was pretty cool

Originally, biologists thought that the snapping sound of pistol shrimp was caused by clicking the claws of the snapping arm. However, the sound is actually caused by a cavitation bubble. When a pistol shrimp snaps its claw, it sends out a high speed jet of water which creates turbulence, resulting in the formation of low pressure bubbles. When the high pressure of the ocean pops the bubbles, they emit a sharp “crack” just like a pistol.

It also appears that the bubbles emit a brief flash of light when they collapse. This is because the bubbles compress so quickly that the air inside cannot escape. As a result, it becomes superheated, sometimes approaching the surface temperature of the sun. The flash of light is referred to as “sonoluminesence,” and it appears to be unique to pistol shrimp, as biologists have not observed a similar phenomenon in connection with other animals.

Although pistol shrimp are not much of a threat to people, they pack a serious punch for such small creatures!
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