I guess it was back in the '80s that there were sensational stories about ‘killer shrimp’. I don’t remember the details, but ISTR that these shrimp were rather aggressige and sliced a lot of fingers. IIRC, they were found in San Diego Bay and other places.
What kind of shrimp were known as ‘killer shrimp’, and why don’t we hear about them anymore (aside from the obvious reason of, ‘Okay, we’ve scared the public enough; now let’s talk about “killer sun tea”.’)?
This is a new one on me. For one thing, although Nova Scotia has a shrimp fishery, I have never seen them sold alive; they’re always frozen, or at least pre-deceased.
A Google search for killer shrimp reveals several “killer” recipes for shrimp, and restaurants advertising their huge shrimp portions. There are also a handful of articles about invasive shrimp that kill of the native populations, but nothing about shrimp that injure people.
Mantis shrimp. Not shrimp, though, IIRC.
I remember seeing some footage of a fisherman with a nasty laceration on his fingers.
Doesn’t sound familiar. ISTR ‘black tiger shrimp’, but I’m probably thinking of the big yummy ones.
Interesting. That’s obviously a tabloid clipping, but there were local news stories about it. San Diego and everything. I guess sometimes WWN gets it right.
So why don’t we hear about people getting cut by them? Scare value wore off?
Gee, this sounds like a good idea for a low budget horror film. I wonder if there is anyone on the boards who makes that sort of movie.
Oh, wait…
So if they’ve gone back to whence they came, we don’t care. It’s all about us, after all. 
:rolleyes:
For a minute there, I thought you were talking about this place. 
Heh. I’ve got an Éclair NPR. And a Bolex with an underwater housing. And SCUBA. Does anyone have a script and a bunch of disposable income?
How about The Beast of Birch Bay? Only we’d use dungeness crabs, since that’s mostly what we have here. Or killer clams.
Funny you should ask. There’ve been a few threads about these here over the years, and there’s actually one that was just started over in MPSIMS. I believe the title is “A Mantis Shrimp lives in my house!”
Oh, here we go, link.
Dang, I thought those were pistol shrimp. I remember the noise from diving in Mission Bay in San Diego, and I was told to leave 'em alone or risk a nasty cut. Must have been a conflation of two critters.
Why not, and why not call them shrimp all the same? When Pirhana was shot just south of here they used the native (previously introduced, actually) tilapias and filmed them attacking peanut butter covered victims. Killer shrimp? Just put in a few throwaway lines like “The mutations made them grow. They may look like crabs but they’re shrimp… damn those savage, man-eating shrimp…”
‘See? See what happens when you scientists damage the environment? Hellish obscenities and damnable crustaceans!’
Actually, I like the image of a guy in a big clam suit. Shoot it in B&W as if it were a real 1950s B-horror, à la The Lost Skeleton of Cadavra.
Mantis shrimp found in Ala Wai canal near Waikiki. Sea monster indeed!
Or you could film it from the shrimp’s POV: Seafood Buffet: The Guzzling {Filmed in Prawn-o-Vision} Trailerman V/O: “Bite them…before THEY bite YOU!”
C’mon, babe, let’s scuttle out to Dead Shrimp’s Reef and make out.
Oh, Brad, I’d love to, but… what about the stories of all those prawns vanishing? Some people say that the HUMANS took them!
That’s just Old Crustaceans’ Tales, Betty. Only the little larvae still believe them. And if you’re scared {puffs out thorax, flexes pincers}, I’m shrimp enough to look out for both of us.
Oh, Brad…you’re so… shrimply. {Swoons}
I wouldn’t worry about them. They’re used to being used as prawns in our sick and twisted games.