Pistol Shrimp

Introduction:
My organism is the Alpheus Armadus (Animalia Arthropoda Malacostraca Decapoda Alpheidae Alpheus Armadus), AKA: Pistol Shrimp. The Pistol Shrimp is part of the phylum Arthropod meaning that it has an exoskeleton, a segmented body, and jointed appendages. The Pistol Shrimp can be found in the Atlantic Ocean, the West Indies, the Bahamas, and Southern Florida. Comfortable in shallow coral reefs from 74 to 79F, the Pistol Shrimp usually digs a cave next to a sea anemone called Baratholomea Annulata .

Anatomy:








Form and Function:
The Pistol Shrimps unique claw design is both its protection and its way of obtaining food. As the shrimp opens his claw the upper joint is cocked back in place like a pistol. When the claw snaps shuts it creates a burst of bubbles, as the bubbles collapse they temporarily reach the temperature of the sun (9000 degrees c). This action creates a sound wave that acts as a bullet underwater that travels over 100km/h and can kill or stun pray over six feet away. Some Pistol Shrimp have even been seen killing crabs. The sound produced by the pistol shrimp is louder than a jet at take off and can disrupt the sonic transmissions of submarines!

Impact on the human world:
Pistol Shrimp have little to no effect on humans directly, other than the disturbance of a submarines sonic transmissions underwater.

Journal Article Review:
A pair of pistol shrimp were found off the coast of the UK. This was extremely odd because these shrimp are usually found in warm tropical waters. It was predicted that the pair were carried by a passing ship over the Atlantic as larva. The shrimp were able to produce sounds of over 118 decibels, the loudest of all marine organisms.


Bibliography :
Derbyshire, D. (2008, November 13). Deadly pistol shrimp that stuns prey with sound as loud as Concorde found in UK waters. Retrieved January 1, , from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1085398/Deadly-pistol-shrimp-stuns-prey-sound-loud-Concorde-UK-waters.html
Dolphin, C. (Date N/A). Alpheus armatus. Retrieved January 1, , from weiis organics: http://www.saltcorner.com/AquariumLibrary/browsespecies.php?CritterID=2597
Sonefe69, (Date N/A). Pistol Shrimp. Retrieved January 1, , from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKPrGxB1Kzc