Green dwarf shrimp
| Green dwarf shrimp | ||||||||||||
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Green dwarf shrimp |
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| Caridina cf. babaulti | ||||||||||||
The green dwarf shrimp ( Caridina cf. babaulti ) is a freshwater shrimp (Atyidae) of the genus Caridina from the river plains of northeast India and Burma . In Europe it is very popular in the aquarium hobby.
Appearance
The males of the green dwarf shrimp reach a length of up to 35 millimeters, the overall larger appearing female shrimp grow up to 40 millimeters. As with many dwarf shrimp, the color is very variable, in addition to the green that gives it its name, light brown, black or blue colors are also possible. In addition, the animals are capable of rapid color changes and then appear in a brownish or orange color or become almost transparent. Pregnant females often show a back stroke. The rostrum , which reaches to the end of the second or third segment of the antenna base, is straight and sloping slightly downwards, its tip is edentulous. The movable fingers (dactylus) of the scissors of the third pair of striding legs have five to seven, those of the fifth pair of striding legs 18 to 27 thorns on the back. There are 13 to 17 small thorns on the uropod fold . The rostrum formula of the green dwarf shrimp is 3-6 (4) + 10-12 / 4-8 (5).
Way of life
The green dwarf shrimp feed on growth on rocks and rotting plant material as well as the smallest invertebrates and insect larvae. As with many representatives of the genus Caridina , the larvae of the green dwarf shrimp are already very similar to the parent animals and adapted to a soil-oriented way of life.
Systematics
The species belonging to the green dwarf shrimp is still undetermined. Their morphology largely corresponds to that of Caridina weberi prox. var. sumatrensis described shrimp. On the other hand, it also shows a very strong similarity to Caridina babaulti , in the vicinity of which the green dwarf shrimp is currently placed. The differences to this species mainly relate to the number of thorns on the dactyli of the fifth pair of striding legs. However, there is a possibility that Caridina babaulti will itself be divided into two or three species in the future.
Web links
literature
- Andreas Karge, Werner Klotz: Freshwater prawns from all over the world. Dähne Verlag, Ettlingen 2007, ISBN 978-3-935175-39-5