Pistol Shrimp

    Pistol shrimp, also known as snapping shrimp, or Alpheidae, is a family of arthropods with a bizarre adaptation. These shrimp have developed an over-sized claw with a small hole on one of their arms. They quickly snap this claw together, creating a high pressure bubble within it. This causes a high velocity stream of water to shoot through the hole in their claw, carrying a bubble in it's wake. This bubble is rapidly shrinking, and compressing the air inside, creating a pocket of oxygen that can reach up to 10,000 degrees fahrenheit. When this bubble erupts, it not only emits a sound capable of stunning fish, but creates a flash of light which scientists dub, "shrimpoluminescence".  The pistol shrimp mainly feeds upon smaller fish and invertebrates. These unique shrimp are barely the size of your finger, but they are one of the loudest creatures in the ocean.