News Animals

The fastest claw in the sea belongs to young snapping shrimp

The whippersnappers can generate accelerations 20 times those of adult shrimp

A juvenile bigclaw snapping shrimp in a lab dish next to a ruler

When juvenile bigclaw snapping shrimp (Alpheus heterochaelis) reach about 30 days old (one shown), they start striking their powerful claws.

J. Harrison

By Jake Buehler

- More than 2 years ago

Full-grown snapping shrimp were already known to have some of the fastest claws under the waves.