The book of earth

Ancylomenes pedersoni, sometimes known as Pederson's shrimp, is a species of cleaner shrimp. It is part of the genus Ancylomenes and was described in 1958 by Fenner A. Chace, Jr. as Periclimenes pedersoni. Ancylomenes pedersoni is found in the Caribbean Sea, often associated with a sea anemone, at depths of 1 to 15 metres (3 to 49 ft). They are often found on the reefs off Bermuda.

Description

Pederson's shrimp is a small transparent shrimp with bluish and violet markings on the body and long white antennae and within its range is unlikely to be confused with other species.

Ecology

Pederson's shrimp lives in association with a sea anemone, either Bartholomea annulata or Condylactis gigantea, living among the tentacles with impunity. Before it can do this it needs to acclimatise itself to the anemone by progressively pressing its body and appendages against the tentacles for increasing periods of time. After this it is able to move between the tentacles without getting stung but if it is separated from its host for a few days, it will need to repeat the immunizing procedure. Up to 26 shrimps have been found associated with one sea anemone but usually there are just one or two. The shrimp offers cleaning services to passing fish and attracts their attention by lashing its antennae about. Fish visiting the cleaning station will remain stationary while their external parasites are removed and eaten by the shrimp, which even cleans inside the gill covers and the mouth. If a neon goby sets up a cleaning station nearby, the shrimp will clean the client fish at the same time as the goby does. Researchers have shown that fish recognise the sea anemone Bartholomea annulata as being a place at which the shrimps' services are likely to be available. The larger the sea anemone, the more likely fish are to visit it.


source - Wikipedia

Caridina multidentata is a species of shrimp in the family Atyidae. It is native to Japan and Taiwan. Its common names include Yamato shrimp, Japanese shrimp, Amano's shrimp, and algae shrimp.

Description

This species has a translucent body covered with a broken line of reddish brown points on its sides. The dorsal surface has a white stripe that runs from the head to the tail and the eyes are black. Females are easily distinguished from males by their more elongated lower row of dots.

In captivity

According to different sources, Caridina multidentata was introduced into the world of aquaria by Takashi Amano in the early 1980s. They are usually used in an aquarium because they feed primarily on algae, thus cleaning the aquarium if in large numbers. Caridina multidentata was previously known to aquarists as Caridina japonica but was renamed Caridina multidentata following a study in 2006.

Biology

Caridina multidentata mate in freshwater streams and marshes. Female shrimp signal readiness to mate much like other shrimp species, by releasing pheromones into the water for the males to follow. The fertilised eggs are released and go through larval stages in brackish and salt water as they drift out to sea. The salinity is apparently not a requirement, as the species has been successfully bred in freshwater. In the wild the larvae return from the sea once they reach their final growth stage, and they remain in freshwater for the remainder of their lives.


source - Wikipedia

Not to be confused with Sakura shrimp.
Neocaridina davidi var. red or cherry shrimp is a variety of freshwater shrimp from Taiwan which is commonly kept in aquariums. The natural colouration of the shrimp is green-brown, however the red morph is more frequently sold. The density of coloration on adult shrimp, dependent on breeding, determines their sale price and "quality" (grading). This "quality" is purely aesthetic, as the size, behavior and other characteristics of the animal is more or less equal across varieties. Full-grown cherry shrimp reach about 4 centimetres (1.6 in) long. They prefer clean water, with a pH of 6.5-8, and a temperature of 14–29 °C (57–84 °F) They are most comfortable at 22 °C (72 °F). Cherry shrimp are omnivores that may live 1–2 years. These shrimp have previously been classified as Neocaridina heteropoda and Neocaridina denticulata sinensis, however are now known as Neocaridina davidi which is based on the oldest known published description of the species.

Housing

Red cherry shrimp are easy to care for in the home freshwater aquarium and breed well. They will adapt to a wide range of water conditions, and will thrive in the same conditions as many common aquarium fish. Neutral to slightly alkaline pH, with low nitrates and nitrites, gives best results. A cooling system is recommended in warm climates. A few cherry shrimp can be kept in a desktop aquarium of 4–8 litres (0.88–1.76 imp gal; 1.1–2.1 US gal) capacity, and a setup of 40 l (8.8 imp gal; 11 US gal) or more will allow for an active colony. A planted tank is most comfortable for the shrimp and the plants provide cover for adults and young.

The shrimp spends a great deal of its time sitting on aquatic plants, when available, and hiding in them for protection, especially after molting. They also eat the film of algae and microorganisms that forms on plant leaves without harming the leaves in the process. Java moss and Java fern are both excellent plants for the shrimp tank, as they thrive in the same conditions as the cherry shrimp and provide both the physical benefits of the plants to the shrimp and provide a human viewer with a pleasing visual contrast with the red bodies of the shrimp. Shrimplets spend much of their early life hiding among plants and feeding from microorganisms and tank algae. Java moss is common and inexpensive in most places, fast-growing, and provides excellent cover for the young.


Neocaridina heteropoda female

Red cherry shrimp
Red cherry shrimp respond to the colour of their background and substrate. If they are kept in a tank with light-coloured substrate, they will become paler, or even transparent. On a darker substrate, they take on their full red colouration. Colour intensity also depends on the types of food available (live foods and those high in protein and fats are more beneficial than flake foods), water pH, and temperature. Prepared foods specifically designed for shrimp are available at some suppliers.

Behavior

The red cherry shrimp is a non-aggressive shrimp. They are active throughout the day, and can be seen grazing on algae, aquarium décor or the sides of the tank, hunting detritus among the gravel, and sometimes even mating. Periodically a shrimp will shed its exoskeleton, leaving an empty white ghost of itself caught in the plants or drifting around the tank. This should be left in the tank, as the shrimp will eat it to recover the valuable minerals it contains.

Female pregnant cherry shrimps tend to hide in the dark. If they feel endangered by predators, they will abandon their eggs. They need an environment with wood or plants such as Java moss in which to hide themselves and their babies. When they are carrying the eggs under their bodies, they can be witnessed circulating water over the eggs with their pleopods (swimming legs) to ensure good health.

Neocaridina heteropoda.jpg

Female with eggs
Diet

Red cherry shrimp are primarily algae eaters. They will eat any food intended for aquarium use, but some will prefer compressed algae discs (algae wafers). Blanched (boiled until soft) vegetables such as zucchini (courgette), baby carrots, peas and spinach can be used as a supplemental food, but should be fed sparingly. Uneaten vegetables can very quickly decompose and create water quality problems.To keep a clean substrate, some shrimp keepers put a glass bowl or glass plate on the bottom for the food. If feeding commercial fish/shrimp food ensure that there is no copper added (some breeders avoid only pure/elemental copper [citation needed]) as this is dangerous for shrimp. Many breeders think copper sulfates, found in most fish food, are tolerated in low amounts. Copper sulfates found in snail killer are in high amounts and will kill shrimp.

Some commercial water conditioners remove or neutralize copper, lead, and other metals from tap water in order to make it safe for aquarium life.

The best way to keep a healthy balance in a tank with shrimp is to let them eat all the microorganisms that grow in a tank on plant and driftwood; this way the tank works in balance along with the beneficial bacteria that grows in an active and oxygenated filter. With a good 8 hours per day of lighting the shrimp will grow to maturity without any problems.

Sexing

The male is smaller and less colorful than the female. The male's tail, not being needed to carry eggs, is narrower. The female is larger and displays a richer coloration. On the upper section of the female's body, on the "shoulder", the developing eggs on the ovaries may be seen in more transparent individuals. The color of these eggs will depend on the variety of individual shrimp. The shape of the ovaries drapes across both sides of the shrimp, giving rise to the nickname "saddle". The presence of a "saddle" indicates a female that is likely ready to mate.

Breeding

Red cherry shrimp reach sexual maturity when they are around 4-6 months old. Breeding only requires a sexed pair of shrimp, stable water parameters, and a food source. Eggs may be observed developing in the female's ovaries as a green or yellow triangular "saddle" marking on her back. When she is ready to lay the eggs, which occurs after moulting, she releases pheromones into the water to signal her availability to males. The male shrimp in the tank will often become agitated, swimming very actively about as they search for the source of the pheromones. After a brief mating process, during which the male deposits sperm onto the female's body, the female lays her eggs and affixes them to her swimmerettes. The eggs are not fertilized within the female; they are fertilized as they pass from the ovaries to the outside of the body. Therefore, it is certain that any shrimp carrying eggs has mated. A female carrying eggs under her abdomen is said to be "berried".

Some report that young female shrimp carrying their first clutch of eggs tend to drop some or all of the eggs, possibly due to inexperience or small size. If a berried shrimp is stressed by predators or poor water conditions she may also abandon the eggs.

They have 20–30 eggs, which take 2–3 weeks to hatch. The eggs are green or yellow, depending on the colour of the saddle. They turn darker and darker until the young shrimp hatch after about three weeks. As the eggs near the end stages of growth, tiny dark eye spots of the developing shrimplets within can be observed. When the young hatch, they are tiny (~1 mm) copies of the adults. They have no planktonic larval stage. They spend their first few days of life hiding among plants or stones, where they are almost invisible, nibbling on the biofilm on the plants. They then emerge and graze on algae on tank surfaces and ornaments.

Female shrimp, under ideal conditions, can breed again within a few days of hatching the previous clutch.

Tank mates

In their natural environment, cherry shrimp are primarily prey animals. When kept in an aquarium, they are easily targeted by fish as potential food. Even fish too small to eat them may harass them and stress them to death, sometimes biting off limbs. For best results, breeding should take place in isolation. Small, non-aggressive fish such as the harlequin rasbora, neon tetra, cardinal tetra, dwarf corydoras, otocinclus catfish, dwarf gouramis, platy , and some species of killifish can be kept with adult cherry shrimp. However baby shrimp are likely to be eaten by any fish other than the otocinclus and some other herbivorous fish. Most cichlids, including angel fish, will harass and readily eat adults as well. With enough cover and hiding places (live plants such as Java moss work well), one can have a colony of cherry shrimp survive in a tank with larger fish preying on them.

Availability

The cherry shrimp has become widely available in North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. These shrimp can be purchased from online fish stores, at aquarium stores, and from private breeders—especially through local aquarium societies. There are also many similar Neocaridina species of different color and markings that require the same conditions, these include fire reds, snowballs, blue pearls, rili shrimp, yellow shrimp, and wild types. Breeding different variations is advised against as most young from such pairings revert to wild coloration.


source - Wikipedia

Crangon crangon is a commercially important species of caridean shrimp fished mainly in the southern North Sea, although also found in the Irish Sea, Baltic Sea, Mediterranean Sea, and Black Sea, as well as off much of Scandinavia and parts of Morocco's Atlantic coast. Its common names include brown shrimp, common shrimp, bay shrimp, and sand shrimp, while translation of its French name crevette grise (or its Dutch equivalent grijze garnaal) sometimes leads to the English version grey shrimp.

Description


The chelae of C. crangon from below
Adults are typically 30–50 mm (1.2–2.0 in) long, although individuals up to 90 mm (3.5 in) have been recorded. The animals have cryptic colouration, being a sandy brown colour, which can be changed to match the environment. They live in shallow water, which can also be slightly brackish, and feed nocturnally. During the day, they remain buried in the sand to escape predatory birds and fish, with only their antennae protruding.

Crangon is classified in the family Crangonidae, and shares the family's characteristic subchelate first pereiopods (where the movable finger closes onto a short projection, rather than a similarly sized fixed finger) and short rostrum.

Distribution and ecology

C. crangon has a wide range, extending across the northeastern Atlantic Ocean from the White Sea in the north of Russia to the coast of Morocco, including the Baltic Sea, as well as occurring throughout the Mediterranean and Black Seas. Despite its wide range, however, little gene flow occurs across certain natural barriers, such as the Strait of Gibraltar or the Bosphorus. The populations in the western Mediterranean Sea are thought to be the oldest, with the species' spread across the north Atlantic thought to postdate the Pleistocene.

Adults live epibenthically (on or near the sea-floor) especially in the shallow waters of estuaries or near the coast. It is generally highly abundant, and has a significant effect on the ecosystems where it lives.

Lifecycle

Females reach sexual maturity at a length around 22–43 mm (0.87–1.69 in), while males are mature at 30–45 mm (1.2–1.8 in). The young hatch from their eggs into planktonic larvae. These pass through five moults before reaching the postlarval stage, when they settle to the sea-floor.

Fishery


Global capture of C. crangon in tonnes reported by the FAO, 1950–2010
Historically, the commercial fishery was accomplished on horseback on both sides of the Dover straits.

Over 37,000 t of C. crangon were caught in 1999, with Germany and the Netherlands taking over 80% of this total.

As food


A bowl of brown shrimp served as a snack
The brown shrimp enjoys great popularity in Belgium and its neighbouring countries. It is the basis of the dish tomate-crevette, where the shrimp are mixed with mayonnaise and served in a hollowed-out uncooked tomato. The shrimp croquette is another Belgian specialty; the shrimp are in the interior of the battered croquette along with béchamel sauce. Freshly cooked, unpeeled brown shrimp are often served as a snack accompanying beer, typically a sour ale or Flemish red such as Rodenbach.

In Lancashire, England, the brown shrimp is mixed with butter to make potted shrimps, a dish traditionally eaten with bread.


source - Wikipedia

Liropus minusculus is also known as skeleton shrimp found in a reef cave off the coast of Catalina Island, California. It is the only member of Liropus known from the Northeast Pacific Ocean.

Description

Like all members of Caprellidae, Liropus minusculus have slender, translucent bodies that make them look like living skeletons. The coloration helps them camouflage in with their surroundings, resembling seaweed or other vegetation. They are very small, measuring only about 3.3 millimetres (0.13 in) in length, and smallest of the nine species of Liropus.

Liropus minusculus is a predator that remains still, clinging to rocks or plants, until prey approaches. Males have claw-like gnathopods which are used during mating to grasp the female. Females have smaller gnathopods. L. minusculus is distinguishable from other members of Liropus primarily from the shape of its torso and abdominal limbs.

In May 2014, the International Institute for Species Exploration listed L. minusculus as one of the "Top 10 News Species" named in 2013.

Habitat

Liropus minusculus is known from specimens collected from in a cave about 30 metres (98 ft) below the surface of the ocean. The cave is located in Isthmus Reef, off the coast of Catalina Island, California. L. minusculus is the only known member of Liropus that lives in the northeast Pacific Ocean.

Discovery and taxonomic history

While visiting the Canadian Museum of Nature, University of Seville researcher José Manuel Guerra-García and colleague Ed Hendrycks (from CMN) recognized that two specimens – one male and one female – found in the museums collections were examples of a previously unknown species. They formally described the new species as Liropus minusculus in the October 8, 2013 issue of Zootaxa. The specific name is a reference to the species' tiny size.


source - Wikipedia

Macrobrachium carcinus is a species of freshwater shrimp native to streams, rivers and creeks from Florida to southern Brazil. It is the largest known species of Neotropical freshwater prawn, growing up to 30 centimetres (12 in) long and weighing as much as 850 grams (30 oz), although even larger specimens have been reported. It is an important species for commercial fishing in the Sao Francisco area, where it is known by the local name of pitu. M. carcinus is omnivorous, with a diet consisting of molluscs, small fish, algae, leaf litter and insects.

M. carcinus has a tan or yellow body with dark brown stripes. Its chelae are unusually long and thin, to facilitate foraging for food in small crevices, and may be blue or green in colour.


source - Wikipedia