Snip, Snip, Boom!

Long thought uninteresting by scientists, this amazing crustacean has been found to have one of the fastest snips in the animal kingdom.

The humble Dulichiella appendiculata has often been overlooked because of its small size, roughly equivalent to a sunflower seed. But this creature has a claw to be reckoned with, make no mistake.

Even though it is tiny, the speed that it closes its claw makes an audible snapping sound and even causes bubbles in the water from the rapid changes in pressure.

Only the males of the species have a claw, and it can grow to be up to 30% of the body mass.

The speed of this animal’s claw is so impressive that the US military are investigating how it can be applied to robot warfare.

Somewhat terrifyingly, Samuel Stanton of the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command’s Army Research Laboratory writes:

“There is a myriad of organisms from which we can learn a great deal for future Army small robotics and this research team is discovering a whole new set of rules we should be following.”

Enemies of America beware.

P.C: Tomonari Kaji