Pistol Shrimp: Loudest Animal Claims Debunked

🎯 Reality Check: Sketchy 🚩

📝 Why: The pistol shrimp is famous for its powerful snap (yes, it’s louder than a gunshot close up – making up to around 210 decibels at the source underwater). But this isn’t the same as being the "loudest animal" overall. Most experts and sources give that crown to the sperm whale’s clicks, which are measured at 230 decibels (underwater, at the source). So, the pistol shrimp holds a record for its size, but not for all animals on Earth.

🔗 Source: Versluis et al., Nature, 2000; BBC Science Focus Magazine; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)