Watch: Mantis shrimp vs pistol shrimp, when the sonic strikes faster than bullets

Mantis shrimp vs Pistol shrimp (Image: Canva)

• Mantis shrimp punches faster than bullets, creating cavitation bubbles in water.
• Pistol shrimp snaps its claw to make sonic blasts over 210 decibels.
• Shrimps rarely harm humans; mantis shrimp can injure with club-like claws.

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In the shallow reefs and sandy floors of oceans lie two of the smallest yet most extraordinary hunters on Earth, the mantis shrimp and the pistol shrimp. Each has evolved a remarkable weapon that seems almost unreal. One delivers punches faster than bullets, while the other fires sonic blasts louder than gunshots. Their differences illustrate nature’s ingenuity, where survival drives astonishing adaptations.

Mantis Shrimp: The Bullet-Like Puncher

At first glance, the mantis shrimp looks like a colourful crustacean no bigger than a human hand. When a mantis shrimp strikes, its club accelerates faster than a .22-calibre bullet.

Mantis shrimp looks like a colourful crustacean. (Image: Canva)

This can reach up to the speeds of more than 50 miles per hour (80 km/h) in the blink of an eye. The strike itself is so fast that it temporarily creates pockets of vapour in the water, called cavitation bubbles.

Pistol Shrimp: The Sonic Sniper

The pistol shrimp, also known as the snapping shrimp, takes a very different but equally impressive approach. Instead of a physical blow, its weapon is sound and shock. One of its front claws is enlarged and uniquely shaped.

The pistol shrimp, also known as the snapping shrimp. (Image: Canva)

When this claw snaps shut at incredible speed, it forces a jet of water outward so fast that a low-pressure bubble forms. When it collapses a microsecond later, it generates a sonic blast that can reach over 210 decibels, louder than a typical gunshot.

Could These Shrimp Harm Humans?

Despite their powerful weapons, mantis shrimp and pistol shrimp rarely harm humans in the wild. Mantis shrimp can injure people with their club-like claws. These claws can cut skin and crack thin glass.

Mantis shrimp vs pistol shrimp, sonic strikes faster than bulletspic.twitter.com/p8OQYmoy11

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Pistol shrimps are far less dangerous to people. Their sonic snap is powerful for tiny prey but harmless to human bodies. At most, divers may hear loud clicking sounds underwater.

How Do These Shrimps Look Different from Each Other?

Mantis shrimp are brightly coloured and visually striking. Many species display blues, reds, greens and metallic shades. They have two strong front limbs, shaped like clubs or spears.

Pistol shrimp look more modest and less colourful. Most are transparent, brown, or pale orange. Their most obvious feature is one oversized claw, much larger than the other. This uneven claw acts like a water gun.