We don’t heed no new crustaceans

A NEWLY discovered shrimp species with a bright pink claw and the ability to produce one of the loudest sounds in the ocean has been named after legendary British band Pink Floyd, British zoologists said this week.

Synalpheus pinkfloydi has a bright pink claw that, “just like all good rock bands”, can produce large amounts of sonic energy, according to a post on the blog of the University of Oxford’s Museum of Natural History.

Zoologist Sammy de Grave, a lifelong Pink Floyd fan who works at the museum, said the shrimp’s discovery off the coast of Panama was “the perfect opportunity to finally give a nod to my favourite band”.

By closing its distinctive claw at rapid speed, the shrimp can produce a sound strong enough to stun or even kill a small fish.

A description of the shrimp appeared in the journal Zootaxa on Wednesday, and the Oxford team featured the shrimp in mock covers for the legendary British rock band’s albums Animals and The Wall.

“I often play Pink Floyd as background music while I’m working,” De Grave said.

“But now the band and my work have been happily combined in the scientific literature.” — AFP