5 Animals With Superpowers Way Cooler Than X-Men

By All That's Interesting | Edited By Savannah Cox

Published August 3, 2014

Updated February 5, 2018

Pistol Shrimp

Small shooter with a big gun Source: The Huffington Post

There are no prizes for guessing the special power of this tiny critter. The pistol shrimp (also called snapping shrimp or alpheid shrimp) has one tiny claw and another huge one. The latter lacks the pincers which are commonly found on most shrimp. Instead, it has a pistol-like device with a “hammer” that can produce an incredibly powerful shockwave when triggered.

Alternative name should be the Popeye Shrimp Source: Blogspot

Just to be clear, the pistol shrimp doesn’t have to hit its prey. The pressure from the sound alone is enough to stun (sometimes even kill) whatever it is aimed at. Not only that, but the cavitation bubble can reach a temperature of 5,000 K – that’s 800 K less than the surface temperature of the Sun!

Best friends forever Source: Wikipedia

The noise can reach up to 218 decibels, letting the tiny pistol shrimp compete with the sperm whale for the title of “loudest animal in the sea”. When these guys gather in a colony, they really do become the loudest thing in the ocean, powerful enough to interfere with sonar.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=XC6I8iPiHT8?t=36s

author

Established in 2010, All That's Interesting brings together a dedicated staff of digital publishing veterans and subject-level experts in history, true crime, and science. From the lesser-known byways of human history to the uncharted corners of the world, we seek out stories that bring our past, present, and future to life. Privately-owned since its founding, All That's Interesting maintains a commitment to unbiased reporting while taking great care in fact-checking and research to ensure that we meet the highest standards of accuracy.

editor

Savannah Cox holds a Master's in International Affairs from The New School as well as a PhD from the University of California, Berkeley, and now serves as an Assistant Professor at the University of Sheffield. Her work as a writer has also appeared on DNAinfo.