Ryan Photographic - Atyidae - Freshwater shrimp
Photo Library
Chordates
Invertebrates
Family Atyidae
The atyid shrimps are a large family with a very wide distribution. There are around 850 species in 63 genera. Most live in freshwater and the geographic isolation imposed on those species without marine tolerant larvae has led to significant speciation. I have little doubt that many more atyid species will be described in the next few years. I was with my friend Satish Choy when he found several new species on Viti Levu, Fiji's main island. Satish has subsequently gone on to become a world expert on these beasties.
The atyids are also referred to as the basket shrimps. They are detritivores and herbivores, scraping food items from rocks, using setae on their front two pairs of walking legs to do so. Many species have very limited distributions and in some species they may be restricted to a single cave system.
Atyoida pilipes
Atyoida pilipes, Namosi, Fiji. This specimen appears to be lacking its chelipeds IMG_9569
Atyopsis spinipes
Atyopsis spinipes, Namosi, Fiji IMG_9581
Atyopsis spinipes, Namosi, Fiji IMG_9597
Caridina cf. nudirostris
Caridina cf. nudirostris Female with eggs. Namosi, Fiji IMG_9607
Caridina cf. nudirostris, Namosi, Fiji IMG_9612
Caridina cf. fijiana
Caridina cf. fijiana, Female with eggs. Namosi, Fiji IMG_9675
Paratya curvirostris New Zealand freshwater shrimp
, drain near Kaiapoi-1940 med res.jpg)
Paratya curvirostris, drain near Kaiapoi IMG_1940
Paratya curvirostris, culvert near Saltwater Creek, near Kaiapoi - IMG_1909
