What's a thrasher?

[Bill Coffin]

Seriously, I never could figure out what this category of animal weapon is supposed to be. Is it like a long, whiplike tail or something? I'm just having a hard time thinking of an animal that thrashes its prey. I saw a monitor lizard slap a guy's leg with its tail one time, but it didn't seem like a serious form of attack.

 

[Bill Coffin]

Seriously, I never could figure out what this category of animal weapon is supposed to be. Is it like a long, whiplike tail or something? I'm just having a hard time thinking of an animal that thrashes its prey. I saw a monitor lizard slap a guy's leg with its tail one time, but it didn't seem like a serious form of attack.

 

[The Hinterworlds Rambler]

Perhaps more of a Sawfish bill, Goodman Bill, a thing that facilitates maximum whappage on prospective prey... perhaps even an Anklyosaurus tail? Hmmm... I should ask Dr. Gwerf...

 

[The Hinterworlds Rambler]

Perhaps more of a Sawfish bill, Goodman Bill, a thing that facilitates maximum whappage on prospective prey... perhaps even an Anklyosaurus tail? Hmmm... I should ask Dr. Gwerf...

 

[robject]

Yeah, I think of Ankylosaurus or Stegosaurus, with the nassty tail-club and tail spikes. Perhaps also the stingray...

 

[robject]

Yeah, I think of Ankylosaurus or Stegosaurus, with the nassty tail-club and tail spikes. Perhaps also the stingray...

 

[theSea]

mmm... I always considered thrashers as animals that pick you up and thrash you - like alligators, crocodiles etc. Ever see a dog kill a squirel? Picks it up and *whip* broken neck.

just my cr0.02

 

[theSea]

mmm... I always considered thrashers as animals that pick you up and thrash you - like alligators, crocodiles etc. Ever see a dog kill a squirel? Picks it up and *whip* broken neck.

just my cr0.02

 

[Lord Iron Wolf]

I've always interpretated a thrasher as an animal with a natural club--Ankylosaurus or boxer shrimp--something that used an natural mace to break armor/chitin or bones. I have never thought it as a ramming animal but, rather one of the animal's limbs being modified to a club.

LIW

 

[Lord Iron Wolf]

I've always interpretated a thrasher as an animal with a natural club--Ankylosaurus or boxer shrimp--something that used an natural mace to break armor/chitin or bones. I have never thought it as a ramming animal but, rather one of the animal's limbs being modified to a club.

LIW

 

[Bill Coffin]

Originally posted by Lord Iron Wolf:
I've always interpretated a thrasher as an animal with a natural club--Ankylosaurus or boxer shrimp--something that used an natural mace to break armor/chitin or bones. I have never thought it as a ramming animal but, rather one of the animal's limbs being modified to a club.

LIW

Hmm. What's the deal with boxer shrimp? Are their pincers strong enough to punch through shells or something?

 

[Bill Coffin]

Originally posted by Lord Iron Wolf:
I've always interpretated a thrasher as an animal with a natural club--Ankylosaurus or boxer shrimp--something that used an natural mace to break armor/chitin or bones. I have never thought it as a ramming animal but, rather one of the animal's limbs being modified to a club.

LIW

Hmm. What's the deal with boxer shrimp? Are their pincers strong enough to punch through shells or something?

 

[Tanuki]

Originally posted by Bill Coffin:
Hmm. What's the deal with boxer shrimp? Are their pincers strong enough to punch through shells or something?

Mantis shrimp: "The so-called smasher variety of the mantis shrimp attacks by whamming down the lower edge of its dull, calcified claw with such speed, it's enough to pulverize a snail's shell, smash out chunks of a rock wall or even break a finger."

See: Tiny Shrimp Terrorizes Aquarium, A Small Mantis Shrimp in a California Aquarium is Destructive and Uncatchable http://abcnews.go.com/sections/us/DailyNews/killershrimp010105.html

Another link: http://www.divernet.com/biolog/manti297.htm

And another: http://saltaquarium.miningco.com/library/weekly/aa110498.htm

And on the silly side: http://www.rocketpack.org/mantis.html (warning: the last couple of photos here are risque)

 

[Tanuki]

Originally posted by Bill Coffin:
Hmm. What's the deal with boxer shrimp? Are their pincers strong enough to punch through shells or something?

Mantis shrimp: "The so-called smasher variety of the mantis shrimp attacks by whamming down the lower edge of its dull, calcified claw with such speed, it's enough to pulverize a snail's shell, smash out chunks of a rock wall or even break a finger."

See: Tiny Shrimp Terrorizes Aquarium, A Small Mantis Shrimp in a California Aquarium is Destructive and Uncatchable http://abcnews.go.com/sections/us/DailyNews/killershrimp010105.html

Another link: http://www.divernet.com/biolog/manti297.htm

And another: http://saltaquarium.miningco.com/library/weekly/aa110498.htm

And on the silly side: http://www.rocketpack.org/mantis.html (warning: the last couple of photos here are risque)

 

[Bill Coffin]

Originally posted by Tanuki:
Mantis shrimp: "The so-called smasher variety of the mantis shrimp attacks by whamming down the lower edge of its dull, calcified claw with such speed, it's enough to pulverize a snail's shell, smash out chunks of a rock wall or even break a finger."

Thanks! I recall having read about "thumb splitters" but I forgot the details.

I also got a good idea of what a thrasher could be like from the end scene of Aliens -- the spike-tipped tail the Alien Queen lashes at Ripley with seems like what the thrasher is all about. The tail weapon of commander Sarigar from the Alien Legion comic book also seems to fit the bill.

 

[Bill Coffin]

Originally posted by Tanuki:
Mantis shrimp: "The so-called smasher variety of the mantis shrimp attacks by whamming down the lower edge of its dull, calcified claw with such speed, it's enough to pulverize a snail's shell, smash out chunks of a rock wall or even break a finger."

Thanks! I recall having read about "thumb splitters" but I forgot the details.

I also got a good idea of what a thrasher could be like from the end scene of Aliens -- the spike-tipped tail the Alien Queen lashes at Ripley with seems like what the thrasher is all about. The tail weapon of commander Sarigar from the Alien Legion comic book also seems to fit the bill.

 

[jchurchill]

Elizabeth Berkeley in the pool scene in "Showgirls." Now there was a thrasher.

 

[jchurchill]

Elizabeth Berkeley in the pool scene in "Showgirls." Now there was a thrasher.

 

[kaladorn]

Originally posted by secretagent:
Elizabeth Berkeley in the pool scene in "Showgirls." Now there was a thrasher.

Now I'm going to have to reconsider those stars.... <argh!>

Next thing we know, you'll be comparing her merits to those of Demi Moore in Striptease....

 

[kaladorn]

Originally posted by secretagent:
Elizabeth Berkeley in the pool scene in "Showgirls." Now there was a thrasher.

Now I'm going to have to reconsider those stars.... <argh!>

Next thing we know, you'll be comparing her merits to those of Demi Moore in Striptease....