The Shark Rider Read Online Free PDF Page A

though. But if we can get the animals to spit up most of the plastic, they have a pretty good chance of survival. Unfortunately, many creatures don’t make it. Seaturtles are particularly vulnerable. They think those thin plastic bags so many stores use look like jellyfish, one of their favorite foods. They gobble them right up.”
    Tristan vowed to get his mother to use cloth bags at the grocery store from then on.
    From there they went back into the room filled with aquariums. The first tank they came to was about three feet long. The glass was unusually thick, like a double-hulled tanker, and, strangely, the lower six inches of each inner wall was covered in plastic bubble wrap. Inside, a small pile of rocks sat on the sandy bottom. There was also something stuck in the sand near the rocks. Tristan bent down to get a better view. It was a puffy, six-inch-tall red doll, like a miniature version of those padded dummies he’d seen people use to practice karate or boxing.
    He must have had a puzzled look on his face, because even before he could ask what was in the tank, Ms. Sanchez said, “Ever seen a stomatopod? It’s also called a mantis shrimp.”
    â€œUh, no.” Tristan shook his head.
    â€œAmazing creatures. Let’s see if we can lure Hammer out of his burrow.”
    Ms. Sanchez rinsed her hand with seawater and took a small snail out of a bucket sitting nearby. She placed it inside the tank. “Okay, now watch closely. If you blink, you might miss it.”
    Tristan had no idea what to expect. Seconds later, one of the weirdest, strangest, most bizarre animals he’d ever seen scurried out from under the rocks. Itsort of resembled a shrimp—a mega mutant shrimp. Or maybe it was a miniature messed-up lobster without big claws or spines. It was about five inches in length and had a long, segmented, shelled body; a square head; two big, round, half-blue, half-pink eyes on stalks; and a whole lot of legs. The odd creature made a beeline for the snail; its numerous short legs moved surprisingly fast. It waved two small antennae over the snail’s round shell and then paused to look around. Then the mantis shrimp attacked. But it was so fast that Tristan wasn’t sure exactly what happened. The snail’s shell, however, now lay in pieces, decimated, as if blown up by mini underwater explosives. Astonished, Tristan watched as the stomatopod picked up the limp, lifeless body of the snail and sauntered proudly back to its lair.
    â€œJust amazing,” Ms. Sanchez said. “They have one of the fastest, most powerful strikes in the animal kingdom. Want to see that again?”
    Tristan nodded, at a loss for words.
    â€œOkay, this time look closely at the shape of the stomatopod’s second pair of legs. Then watch how Hammer attacks the snail.” She placed another unsuspecting victim into the tank.
    The mantis shrimp reappeared, hesitated for a moment, and then scurried over to the snail. Tristan leaned down. His eyes were wide and his straight, narrow nose was mashed up against the tank. The creature’s second leg was funny looking, kind of like a hinged club. The stomatopod again waved his antennae deceptively gently over the snail. Then, lightning-quick,Hammer whacked the snail. Over and over, he struck with his clubbed leg. The snail’s shell was once again totally destroyed. And with another tasty treat in claw, the stomatopod returned to his burrow.
    â€œWhoa! It hit it wicked fast.”
    â€œExactly,” Ms. Sanchez said. “For quite obvious reasons, this type of stomatopod is called a smasher. They use their club-shaped second legs to literally smash their prey to bits. Some stomatopods have legs shaped like spears instead of clubs. They’re called spearers and thrust out their legs like swords to impale their prey.”
    â€œCool,” Tristan said. “What’s the bubble wrap around the tank for? And that doll