A little wonder, every day

A Tail Flick Can Propel a Shrimp Backward

Титульна AI-згенерована ілюстрація / AI-generated cover illustration. A freshwater shrimp with its abdomen curled and tail fan visible among aquatic plants.

A shrimp resting on an underwater aquatic plant.

A shrimp curling its abdomen and propelling water during a backward escape dart.

Close side view of a shrimp's curled abdomen and tail fan with a restrained cue for backward propulsion.

A shrimp moving head-first with abdominal swimmerets visible.

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Титульна AI-згенерована ілюстрація / AI-generated cover illustration. A freshwater shrimp with its abdomen curled and tail fan visible among aquatic plants.

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A shrimp can sharply flex its abdomen and push its tail fan against the water to dart backward. This is a rapid escape maneuver, not its usual way of swimming forward: shrimp mainly use abdominal swimmerets for forward swimming. So the list item describes a distinctive short movement, while “often” would be too broad a generalization.