Tiger Snapping Shrimp (Alpheus bellulus) ニシキテッポウエビ also Tiger Pistol Shrimp (size 5cm)
If you have gone underwater and heard a popping background noise, you were probably hearing snapping shrimp. They make the noise by popping their large claw. They open their large claw at a 90° angle and release it to make the popping. This makes the noise and shoots compressed bubbles that are used for defense and hunting. If they lose their large claw the smaller one will grow into a new large claw. A new small claw will regrow where the large one was. Amami 2024
Tiger Snapping Shrimp coming out of its burrow. Amami 2024
Here is the top Tiger Snapping Shrimp cropped to show the Steinitz’s Goby sharing its burrow. Amami 2024
Tiger Snapping Shrimp with a Goldspeckled Shrimpgoby. Amami 2024