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Shrimp Mystery Solved: Lost Species Found After 72 Years!
29 Nov
Summary
- Indian bamboo shrimp populations rediscovered after 72 years.
- Shrimp use fan-like limbs to filter food from flowing water.
- Conservation efforts are urged due to habitat threats and trade.
Researchers from Chennai's Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology have successfully rediscovered Indian populations of the bamboo shrimp, a species first documented in the country 72 years ago. The Atyopsis spinipes shrimp were found in Karnataka and Odisha, filling a significant gap since their last confirmed sighting. This rediscovery emphasizes the existence of undocumented species within India's vulnerable freshwater environments.
These fascinating shrimp are filter feeders, utilizing specialized fan-like appendages on their limbs to capture food particles from water currents. Their amphidromous life cycle, involving larval development in brackish water before returning to freshwater, requires specific habitats like sandy beds with leaf litter and mangroves, which guided the researchers' search. The team also noted potential misidentification in previous records, with all recovered specimens belonging to the spinipes species.
The find underscores an urgent need for systematic surveys and genetic verification to aid conservation strategies. Threats from bridge construction, sand mining, and the aquarium trade, particularly for species difficult to breed in captivity, pose risks to the bamboo shrimp. The researchers stress that failing to identify and protect these species hinders crucial conservation planning efforts.
