The family is diverse and worldwide in distribution, consisting of about 1,119[citation needed] species within 38 or more genera.

While most genera and species are found in tropical and temperate coastal and marine waters, Betaeus inhabits cold seas and Potamalpheops has a cosmopolitan distribution including being found in freshwater caves in Mexico.

When released, it snaps into the other part of the claw, emitting an enormously powerful wave of bubbles capable of stunning larger fish and breaking small glass jars.

As it collapses, the cavitation bubble emits a short flash of light with a broad spectrum.

It has subsequently been discovered that another group of crustaceans, the mantis shrimp, contains species whose club-like forelimbs can strike so quickly and with such force as to induce sonoluminescent cavitation bubbles upon impact.

[citation needed] When in colonies, the snapping shrimp can interfere with sonar and underwater communication.

[15][16] Some snapping shrimp species share burrows with goby fish in a mutualistic symbiotic relationship.

The burrow is built and tended by the pistol shrimp, and the goby provides protection by watching out for danger.

The goby, having better vision, alerts the shrimp of danger using a characteristic tail movement, and then both retreat into the safety of the shared burrow.

The offspring are divided into workers who care for the young and predominantly male soldiers who protect the colony with their huge claws.

Young females become receptive to males either just before (premolt stage) or after the puberty molt, making them physiologically mature and morphologically able to carry the egg mass.