These Neon Shrimp Are the Bees of the Sea—Here's Why
Egg-laying shrimp queens rule over complex colonies—and a new study reveals their intriguing evolution.
With 60-mile-per-hour pincers that create noisy shockwaves capable of stunning or killing their foes, it's no wonder snapping shrimp are sometimes compared to pistols.
But being quick on the draw is not the most interesting thing about these see-through crustaceans, several species of which make their home within sponges on coral reefs.
You see, snapping shrimp are the only animals in the ocean known to practice eusociality—or the division of labor and collective raising of young most commonly seen in insects such as honeybees and some mammals, like naked mole rats.
Because these so-called pistol shrimp are the only marine creatures known to practice eusociality, scientists are extremely interested in what makes them tick. (Read how snapping
