snapping shrimp

noun

1. any common shrimp of the family Alphaeidae, distinguished by the snapping sound made by its enlarged claw.

Word History and Origins

Origin of snapping shrimp¹

First recorded in 1940–45

Example Sentences

A healthy coral reef is noisy, full of the croaks, purrs, and grunts of various fishes and the crackling of snapping shrimp.

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At night, shallow reefs resound with snapping shrimp and the crunch of parrot fish chomping on coral.

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Oysters lack ears but sense sound vibrations, so the team wondered if the larvae could follow a sonic beacon of their own: the crackle of snapping shrimp.

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But along with shouting fish and snapping shrimp, there appears to be a new addition to the nautical ensemble: the stingray.

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To test this idea, they glued the goggles shut on some snapping shrimp, preventing water from exiting the orbital hood.

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