Shrimp which is 'louder than a gunshot' found in British waters

The one-inch long 'pistol shrimp' snaps its enlarged claw shut at such a speed that it produces a sound wave of up to 218 decibels.

The ear-splitting sound shocks its prey before the shrimp uses its powerful claws to rip through crustacean and shellfish skeletons.



The shrimps, which are native to the sub-tropical seas of the Mediterranean, have only been recorded in UK waters a handful of times.

They are incredibly rare in British waters because the temperature is usually too cold.



Douglas Herdson, information officer at the National Marine Aquarium in Plymouth, said that the creatures can be so loud that they can be heard by sailors.

"I have heard of yachtsmen being moored in a bay and not being able to sleep because of the noise these shrimps make."