Data from: Structural and mechanical properties facilitate shock wave damping by helmet-like orbital hoods in snapping shrimp

Snapping shrimp damp the shock waves they produce and use as weapons with
a helmet-like structure termed the orbital hood. Here, we ask how
structural and material properties contribute to shock wave damping by
orbital hoods in Alpheus heterochaelis. Using tensile mechanical testing,
we find orbital hoods are approximately half as stiff as the carapace and
have twice the capacity for viscous energy dissipation. Microstructural
features likely contribute to tissue-specific mechanical properties: the
endocuticles of orbital hoods have almost twice as many lamellae as those
of carapaces, despite being half as thick, suggesting a mechanism for
enhanced material mobility underlying viscous behavior. Using material
properties from mechanical testing and geometric data from microCT, we
developed finite element simulations of interactions between shock waves
and orbital hoods. These simulations predict orbital hoods reduce shock
wave-induced strain and stress in the neural tissues of shrimp by 28% and
22%, respectively. Orbital hoods appear optimized for shock wave damping:
simulated increases or decreases in their material properties reduce their
protective capabilities. We conclude that structural and viscoelastic
properties contribute to shock wave damping by orbital hoods, a promising
step towards bio-inspired improvements to contemporary armor systems that
currently underperform in preventing blast-induced neurotrauma in humans.