Natures wonders: mantis shrimp crustacean crusher (Introduction)

by David Turell , Wednesday, June 01, 2016, 23:04 (3095 days ago) @ David Turell

The mantis shrimps have either a crusher claw or a smasher claw which allows them to break shells and eat:-https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2016/06/01/scientists-crack-mystery-of-the-shrimp-with-the-fastest-punch/?wpmm=1&wpisrc=nl_most-draw6-"The mantis shrimp, only distantly related to the species you would find covered in tempura batter, come in two types, which marine biologists divide into “spearers” or “smashers.” The spearers impale prey with a javelin strike of a pointed claw, whereas the smashers use their fist-like appendages to pop the shells of their food. Smashers, and their shrimply hammers — technically known as dactyl clubs — are of particular interest to researchers because of the blistering blows the animals can deliver.-"A mantis punch arrives with the acceleration of a .22-caliber bullet, 50 times faster than a human eye can blink. Underwater, the low pressure bubble left in the wake of the punch collapses upon itself in a burst of light and heat, reaching an estimated 8,500 degrees Fahrenheit.-"How the mantis shrimp can deliver a blow and not destroy its club in the process has long been a source of scientific intrigue. Within the dactyl club, as scientists at the University of California at Riverside previously discovered, sits a corkscrew pattern of chitin (the stuff of insect shells) and areas spackled with hydroxyapatite (the stuff of human teeth). The shapes of the inner club allow for small breaks, rather than snapping the entire claw.
"The UC-Riverside scientists and engineers say they have detected a heretofore unknown natural structure in the outer layer — the critical “impact area” — of the club. Were helmets or body armor to be created following this mantis shrimp template, they say, soldiers and football players could be protected from immense blows.-"When viewed under a microscope, the outer layer of the club has what the scientists describe as a herringbone structure. There, fibers of chitin and calcium compounds are arranged in a series of sinusoidal waves. When the shrimp strikes a prey's shell, the researchers think this herringbone wave buckles, dispersing the impact throughout the club without causing catastrophic damage to the predator.-"The smasher mantis shrimp has evolved this exceptionally strong and impact-resistant dactyl club for one primary purpose — to be able to eat,” David Kisailus, a UC-Riverside chemical engineer and author of the paper, said in a statement.-"Based on this research, the scientists have 3-D-printed a prototype helmet that mimics both the inner corkscrew pattern and the outer herringbone layer. “The more we learn about this tiny creature and its multi-layered structural designs,” Kisailus said, “the more we realize how much it can help us as we design better planes, cars, sports equipment and armor.'”-Comment: Two points are raised. Did this develop step-wise and if so how did the shrimp eat before they could crush shells? Or was it a saltation like most other advances. It should be noted that arthropod shells ( as in shrimp) are usually fairly thin and brittle, although one uses a nut cracker to break open a lobster claw. Another example of the balance of nature. And, secondly, biomimetic examples from nature solve problems for humans.