Shrimps – Nature Noon

What Can a Mantis Shrimp Do to a Human: Can It Hurt a Human?

Mantis Shrimp vs. Human: What Can a Mantis Shrimp Do To a Human?

Here’s what a mantis shrimp can do to a human and whether it can hurt them: A mantis shrimp’s powerful punch can hurt humans. A shrimp can land before a person even realizes it is there because its strike is so quick. Shrimp punches cause deep wounds and lacerations with rounded edges. There is almost always a loss of tissue after a mantis strike and heavy bleeding. So if you want to learn all about what a mantis shrimp can do to a human, then this article is for you. Let’s jump right in! What Can a Mantis Shrimp Do to a Human? A mantis shrimp can hurt humans with its powerful punch. The shrimp’s strike is so fast that it can land before a person even knows the animal is there. The shrimp’s punches leave deep wounds and lacerations with rounded shapes. After a mantis strike there is almost always a loss of local tissue along with heavy bleeding. Fishermen attacked by mantis shrimp say that it hurts terribly to get punched or pierced by them. Fishermen fear mantis shrimp and are very cautious because of the many anecdotal reports of these marine animals injuring humans. Have There Been Reports of Humans Getting Injured by Mantis Shrimp? There have been a few reports of people getting into fishing accidents with mantis shrimp. Luckily, none of them were lethal or too serious. However, some people did have to get professional medical help because of the intense pain and the bleeding. One case was a 50-year-old fisherman that tried to remove the animal from the hook of his fishing rod. The mantis shrimp used its tail to strike the man in the arm, causing pain and bleeding. The mantis shrimp’s tail, however, is actually the thing that causes the least damage. Two fishermen from Brazil were injured by mantis shrimp they found in their fishing nets. When trying to get the shrimp out of the nets, the fishermen received stinging strikes from the animals. One of the fishermen rinsed the wound with soap and water and saw it heal in one week. The other fisherman left the wound unattended and suffered the injury for weeks. Some people have been injured by accidentally stepping on mantis shrimp. Because the animals camouflage themselves by burrowing into holes, they are quite easy to step on. Doctors that have treated people attacked by mantis shrimp say that a course of antibiotics and wound-cleaning promote faster healing. Has a Person Ever Been Killed by a Mantis Shrimp? No, a person has never been that severely injured by a mantis shrimp to die. Even though mantis shrimp injuries are painful and severe, they have never killed a human. A human can die if they are allergic to mantis shrimp and suffer anaphylactic shock after eating one. Choking on a mantis shrimp could also be fatal. What Animal Has the Most Powerful Punch in the Animal Kingdom? The animal with the most powerful punch in the world is the mantis shrimp. It generates approximately the same force as a 22-caliber bullet that has just exited a gun barrel. How Do Mantis Shrimp Hunt? Mantis shrimp are carnivorous animals, which means they eat exclusively meat. According to their hunting style, they can be divided into two hunter categories: Smashers Spearers Smasher and spearer mantis shrimps aren’t different species of animals. They are just specimens from the same species that prefer two different forms of attack. Smasher Mantis Shrimp As the name indicates, the smashers have blunt clubs on their raptorial arms. The term “raptorial arm” is pretty much the same as the term “predatory arm.” It describes how the forelegs of some arthropods are modified to grasp their victims while they consume them. Smasher mantis shrimp use the clubs to smash and open crabs, clams, oysters, and other creatures with hard shells. When they strike, the smashers move their arms at speeds of up to 45 miles per hour (20 meters per second). The mantis shrimp punches with 200 pounds (91 kilograms) of force. Its arms move so fast that they practically tear the water apart. When punching, mantis shrimp create something called “cavitation.” Cavitation is when watery areas with low pressure are vaporized into bubbles that almost instantly collapse. The collapse is characterized by a burst of sound, heat, and light. The heat of the punch can reach 8500°F (4700°C). How hot is that, do you ask? Well, it’s approximately 5–10 thousand times hotter than the sun’s surface. Boat engineers pay a lot of attention to this phenomenon when they are designing boat propellers. Cavitation bubbles have the power to tear holes through metal propellers, as well. Smashers leave their burrows more frequently than spearer shrimp do. They seek out sedentary prey and settle the beef face to face by smashing their opponent’s armor and exposing the tasty, soft interiors. Spearer Mantis Shrimp Spearers ambush their prey. Fish species with soft skin fall victim to spear attacks. The fish aren’t nearly fast enough to escape the quick bursts of punching speed executed by mantis shrimp. Spearers have barbed spears on the end of their arms. They surprise their prey and release the spears surprisingly fast. Even though spearers plenty fast enough to put food on their mantis tables, their attacks are slower than the attacks of smashers. A fast spearer mantis species can deliver a spear attack at around 13 miles per hour (6 meters per second). Scientists discovered that smaller spearers are faster than larger ones. Still, even the smallest mantis spearer doesn’t come close to the speed of the average smasher. Uropods What both spearers and smashers have in common are their uropods. Uropods are structures in the tails of mantis shrimps that make their recognizable caudal fans. On each uropod, there is a pair of pointed spikes that the shrimp use as an additional weapon. The top of a mantis shrimp’s tail is called a telson. Researchers discovered that the shrimps use their telsons …

Animals

Black Lines in a Shrimp: What Are Those?

Here’s what the black lines in a shrimp are: The black lines in shrimps are part of the animal’s digestive system. They are also known as “sand veins,” which look like thin black ribbons. The shrimp’s sand veins can be completely or partially filled with things it ate. So those black lines are, in fact, bowels filled with feces. So if you want to learn all about the black lines in a shrimp, then this article is for you. Keep reading! What Are the Black Lines in Shrimps? Many people believe that the black lines in a shrimp are veins, but actually they are a part of the animal’s digestive system. The black lines, which look like ribbons, are also called “sand veins.” Sand veins can be fully or partially filled with things the shrimp has eaten. Some people are disgusted to discover that the black lines are indeed bowels filled with feces. That’s why knowledge is power. It’s also why good hygienic and culinary practice is to get rid of the sand veins before eating or serving the shrimp. What Would Happen if You Eat a Shrimp That Wasn’t Deveined? “Deveining” shrimp is taking those black, feces-filled lines out. The probability is very low that you would get sick from eating shrimp that their sand veins left in them. The probability is high, however, that the sand veins give the shrimp a gritty texture in your mouth—which is particularly gross when you remember where the grit comes from. A shrimp’s digestive system is filled with bacteria that can potentially harm humans. But in a shrimp that has been properly cooked, the bacteria inside the sand veins will be sterilized by the heat. You can devein the shrimp yourself, or you can buy them already cleaned. However you go about it, the best practice is to not eat the bowels of any animal. Should You Take the Veins Out of a Shrimp Before Cooking? Shrimp are one of the most popular types of seafood because of their tenderness and tastiness, but preparing them can be a demanding job. It’s not just the shell of a shrimp that needs to be taken out, but also its digestive parts—the so-called “sand veins.” You should devein large shrimp with clearly visible veins. It’s not that they will do your health any harm, but just that you don’t want shrimp with a muddy taste. So, you may be wondering why we only need to devein large shrimp. The answer to that is that it’s because the small shrimp don’t even have such veins, so there’s nothing to take out in the first place. What Types of Sand Veins Do Shrimp Have? Each shrimp has two types of sand veins—a black one and a white one. The black vein, which is the intestinal tract, is on the top of the animal’s body. The vein is colored black because it’s filled with feces. The white vein is on the underside of the shrimp. It’s quite tiny. The white vein is the actual blood vessel, and it’s white because shrimp have clear blood. Even if you decide to devein shrimp before cooking them, you do not need to take the bottom vein out because it doesn’t negatively affect anything. Do Shrimp Have Real Veins? No, shrimp don’t have veins. What they have are arteries and a heart that make a simple circulatory systems. A shrimp’s circulation is of an open type. That means that the lymph and the blood are combined as they flow throughout the body. The mixture is called “hemolymph” (part blood, part lymph). The hearts of shrimp have a single chamber with three openings in the wall. These opening allow blood to enter the heart. In other parts of the body, they also have smaller accessory hearts that help the hemolymph circulate. What Is the Digestive System of Shrimp Made Of? The digestive system of shrimp consists of the alimentary canal and the digestive gland, also called a “hepatopancreas.” The hepatopancreas is a mixture of a pancreas and a liver, and its purpose is to produce enzymes and other compounds that help break down food. For example, we humans have both a liver and a pancreas as part of our digestive systems, but they are not connected and are located in different areas of the system. The alimentary part of shrimp stretches from its mouth to its rectum as one continuous canal. There are three parts of it: Foregut, or “entering part” (mouth, buccal cavity, esophagus, and stomach) The middle part (intestines) Hindgut, or “exiting part” (rectum) A Shrimp’s Diet Shrimp are omnivorous animals. They mainly feed on moss, algae, and other weeds found in water. Occasionally, shrimp consume small aquatic animals such as tiny fish, snails, tadpoles (larvae of amphibians such as toads, frogs, or salamanders). They also feed on debris they find on the floor of the water system in which they live. Shrimp are nocturnal. They capture their food with their legs, which are also arms, and shovel the food inside their mouths. Can You Get Sick From Eating a Shrimp With Veins? The chances of getting sick by a deveined or non-deveined shrimp are pretty much the same. The cause for sickness would be the shrimp being undercooked and would apply regardless of the state of its sand vein. Shrimp that weren’t refrigerated or shrimp that are past their sell-by date can have significantly more pathogenic microorganisms in them. Food poisoning is a frequent occurrence, even in the modern world where all food-producing establishments are required by law to follow strict safety protocols. When you buy shrimp, make sure they don’t have any bad odors. Also make sure they look translucent and shiny. A translucent appearance means that the shrimp is fresh. How Many People Get Food Poisoning From Eating Shrimp? The likelihood of getting food poisoning from shrimp depends mostly on the state it was cooked in. Raw or undercooked shrimp can make you sick. Millions of people …

Animals

Are Shrimps or Lobsters Insects?

This is about whether shrimps or lobsters are insects. In short: shrimps and lobsters aren’t insects. So if you want to know why shrimps and lobster aren’t insects, then you’re in the right place. Let’s jump right in! Shrimps and Lobsters Are Not Instects This question might come to mind while sitting at the dining table looking at half-cooked shrimp prawns, expressing love or hatred for those tiny little creatures served on your plate. Your taste in seafood depends upon your culture. Some people around the world might be surprised that someone would eat seafood. The bottom line is that the shrimps and lobsters (crustaceans) may look like insects, but they are not insects by any definition found in biology. Both crustaceans and insects are arthropods, and both can be used as food. But the crustaceans are definitely the more popular dining fare. Let’s take a closer look at how shrimps and lobsters differ from insects: What Are Crustaceans? To understand the characteristics of shrimp and lobster, you must know a bit about their class Crustacea of phylum Arthropoda. This class, which now can be designated as a subphylum, contains over 67,000 species which includes, but is not limited to: Crabs Crayfish Krill Woodlice Crustaceans range in size from: Smallest: Stocki of 0.004 inches. Largest: Japanese spider crab reaching up to 12 feet weighing 42 pounds. Most crustaceans are aquatic, but some are terrestrial such as hermit crabs and woodlice. The bodies of crustaceans look similar to insects: Similar shape Presence of antennae Hard exoskeleton which is replaced occasionally (molting) Jointed appendages Body is divided into three parts: Head, thorax, and abdomen But, crustaceans are different to insects. Okay, How Are Lobsters and Shrimps Different From Insects? Body Segmentation The body of insects is divided into three parts: Head Thorax Abdomen In lobsters and shrimps, the head and thorax are fused, forming cephalothorax. The abdomen of shrimps is further segmented, unlike insects. Number and Shape of Legs (Appendages) Insects have six legs arranged in three pairs. Shrimps and lobsters have more than three pairs of legs, and most of them are decapods, i.e., they have 10 pairs of appendages. Their legs are biramous, i.e. legs are further branched into two, which are modified for: Walking Swimming Filter-feeding Sperm transfer Adaptation to Land Habitat Insects are the most successful arthropods which are adapted to almost every habitat: Water Land Deserts Even bodies of animals Lobsters and shrimps are mostly adapted to aquatic habitats, with most being marine. However, some live in freshwater, and a small number inhabit land. Larval Stages The larval stages of insects are very simple: Egg Larva Pupa Adult All these stages are different from each other in appearance. An egg produces a larva called a nauplius in crustaceans, which is converted into zoeal and then shifts into a post-larval stage. The post-larval immature crustaceans look similar to the adults. Composition of Exoskeleton All the arthropods have a hard, waterproof exoskeleton for the protection and the attachment of internal muscles. The exoskeleton in insects is composed of a thick waxy cuticle made up of chitin. But the exoskeleton of crustaceans (shrimp and lobster) is further hardened by calcium carbonate. Gills Insects and crustaceans have two different respiratory systems: Insects breathe with a system of tiny holes (spiracles) present in their exoskeleton and an internal system of tubes called tracheae. Even aquatic insects breathe via small tubes called siphons and some of them can store oxygen in their vacuoles. Crustaceans breathe via gills and apply a mechanism similar to fish. But, their legs are adapted to pump the water into the gill cavity. Excretory System The excretion in insects is simpler and is associated with the digestive system. They have several blind-ended tubes called malpighian tubules, which are attached to the gut. These absorb the waste materials from the body fluid and add them into the digestive wastes. Crustaceans have more developed mechanisms for excretion. They have antennal and maxillary glands, which are adapted to excrete the waste products. Also, some of the crustaceans, like lobsters, have kidney-like structures in their heads. Moreover, insects have uric acid as the main excretory nitrogenous product while shrimps and lobsters excrete nitrogen in the form of ammonia. Antennae and Wings Antennae: Insects have one pair of antennae. Crustaceans either have no antennae or two pairs of antennae. Wings: Insects have one or two pairs of wings because they are adapted to the terrestrial mode of life. Lobsters and shrimps don’t have wings because they are mostly aquatic. So What Are Shrimps? Whenever I hear the word shrimp, it reminds me of the character Bubba of the movie Forrest Gump and his historic words: Shrimp is the fruit of the sea. You can barbecue it, boil it, broil it, bake it, sauté it. Shrimp kabob, shrimp Creole, shrimp gumbos. Pineapple shrimp, coconut shrimp, pepper shrimp, shrimp soup, shrimp stew, shrimp salad, shrimp and potato, shrimp burger, shrimp sandwich … Shrimps range in size from: Fairy shrimp: 0.24-1 inches Mantis shrimp: 3.17 feet Most shrimps live in the sea (marine) environments, but some live in freshwater, such as the red cherry shrimp, the tiger shrimp (according to some studies). What Do Shrimps Eat? Most shrimps are omnivores, i.e., they eat both vegetations such as algae and non-veggie foods. Cleaner shrimps eat the necrotic tissue from the fishes they groom. Some shrimps are filter-feeders, i.e., they sieve the water through their body and eat the sludge and grub. Can Shrimps Speak? Obviously, they don’t have a larynx (voice box), but snapping shrimps close their claws in a way that creates a sound. Sometimes, shrimp colonies become a major source of noise in the sea and can interfere with the underwater communication systems. Body Parts of a Shrimp Their body is made up of two parts: Cephalothorax (fused head and thorax) bears long antennae and is covered by a hard piece of exoskeleton called the carapace. The characteristic long, slender, segmented, and muscular abdomen. Most shrimps …