Pink Floyd Shrimp: New Crustacean Capable Of Killing With Sound Named After Legendary Band

A new breed of shrimp has been discovered by scientific researchers that kill its prey and opponents with sound. Interestingly, the never before seen crustacean has been named after the legendary band, Pink Floyd.

While people will struggle to find a similarity between a classic music band like Pink Floyd and a newfound type of shrimp, they actually have something in common. The rock and roll band was known for their loud music. In one of their concerts, in 1971, at London's Crystal Palace, they played so loudly that a fish in a nearby lake was killed by the sheer volume. Hence, the scientists thought that it would be befitting to name the shrimp after the band, in tribute of that incident.

The Pink Floyd shrimp, mentioned in the Zootaxa Journal on Wednesday, has a brownish translucent body and pink claws that possess the unique capability of producing a deadly sound. When the crustacean repeatedly snaps its claws, it creates a number of bubbles around it by transforming the water pressure.

When the bubbles explode, they make "one of the loudest sounds in the ocean," which can often go "up to 210 decibels," BBC reported. The sound made by the Pink Floyd shrimp is loud enough to "stun" or "kill" small fishes.

The Pink Floyd shrimp is also commonly known as the pistol or snapping shrimp and is the newest member of the Alpheidae family. However, it is not the only shrimp to carry the ability to create sounds that can claim the lives of other aquatic creatures.

The Mantis shrimp can also create water bubbles similar to that of the Pink Floyd shrimp. The difference between the two is that the former chooses to create the bubbles as an aftermath of attacking its prey and shattering their shell.