Everything about The Alabama Cave Shrimp totally explained
The
Alabama cave shrimp (
Palaemonias alabamae) is
species of
albinistic, obligate cave
shrimp. The species was first collected in
1958 by
Thomas Poulson. They are found only in two caves in the state of
Alabama. Due to its small population and limited range, it's considered an
endangered species.
After a search of nearly 200 caves in northern Alabama, the shrimp have only been spotted in two,
Shelta and
Bobcat Caves, both in
Madison County, Alabama. Only about 25 members of the species have been spotted between the two caves since its being listed as endangered in 1988. One reasoning for such a small sighting number may be because of the shrimp's coloring, or the lack thereof. The species is nearly transparent and closely resembles its nearest relative, the
Kentucky cave shrimp, only smaller. Some researchers believe the lack of pigmentation indicates that it has probably survived underground without light for thousands of years.
The typical size of the shrimp is about 20
mm or 0.8
inches long. The female of the species tends to be about 0.05 inches longer than the male, and has a longer
rostrum. Characteristics that tell the Alabama cave shrimp from the Kentucky cave shrimp are that it usually lacks abdominal scales, with fewer scales on the back. It also has unfaceted eyes that are unpigmented. The species is a nonselective grazer, feeding on
protozoans,
fungi, and
algae that normally enter the caves through groundwater.
The Alabama cave shrimp has a global status of critically imperiled, due to its being found in five or fewer areas. For this same reason, or for some factor making it exceptible to extinction, it has an Alabama state ranking of critically imperiled. Because of these factors, the Alabama cave shrimp has been listed as an endangered species. This was made effective
October 7,
1988, by the
United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
This species became endangered because of habitat degeneration and contamination. High levels of the pesticide
DDT were found in Shelta Cave and Bobcat Cave, apparently leakage from
drainage ditches. In addition, the decrease in the population of
gray bats contributed to the decline of the shrimp. The shrimp feed on bat excrement, but now the bat population has decreased since the gray bat also has a low
reproductive rate.
Further Information
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