Pistol Shrimp

The Pistol Shrimp is also goes by two more names – Snapping Shrimp or Alpheid Shrimp. There are around 600 different species of these creatures live on Earth. These species are grouped in 38+ genera with Synalpheus and Alpheus being the two most popular genera. The Synalpheus genus has around 100 species and Alpheus genus has over 250 species.

Description
The Pistol Shrimp is defined as any species of arthropod within the family Alpheidae - a group of crustaceans with asymmetrical claws, capable of producing a cavitation effect to stun prey. Effectively, this means that the Pistol Shrimp is able to rapidly close its largest pincer, creating a cavitation bubble which collapses in on itself with such force as to momentarily reach the temperature of the sun, creating a pressure wave which disorientates or concusses fish and other prey items. The strategic implications of such an ability are obvious-and when combined with the barrier destroy ability inherent in all pincer-bearing arthropods, the Pistol Shrimp becomes a powerful raiding unit.