This 1985 FAO document makes reference to the natural occurrence of four Macrobrachium species in southern California (United States).
Though its claim for M. amazonicum strikes me as dubious, I know M. americanum, M. tenellum, and M. digueti to occur in the Baja Peninsula and Sonora state. Is it possible that these or other Macrobrachium either presently occur somewhere in southern California or did in the historic past (having subsequently gone the way of Syncaris pasadenae)?
Macrobrachium of the Western U.S.
Moderator: Mustafa
I found that table hard to interpret...It implied to me that non-M. ohione species were all introduced. It wouldn't surprise me if Macrobrachium species were collected somewhere in CA - escaped from aquaculture farms or ship ballasts.
I've used this USGS Report to figure out what introduced shrimp are where: http://nas.er.usgs.gov/taxgroup/Crustaceans/shrimp.html - although it seems vastly incomplete(?). I also understand that non-native Palaemonetes shrimp were introduced into western rivers, including the Colorado - and P. paludosus is found as far south as (my hometown) San Diego: http://www.sandiegoriver.org/documents/ ... ss06-3.pdf
I checked the message-thread and wanted to re-visit California freshwater shrimp...I Googled somewhere that S. pasadenae was driven to extinction by the construction of the Rose Bowl Stadium. A sad social commentary if true. This researcher, Jody Martin, http://adc.aims.gov.au/nwhicreefs/cruis ... oel-martin has been trying to find it:
"Jody Martin has been making occasional forays into the San Gabriel and San Bernardino Mountains to look for possible habitat for a shrimp species, Syncaris pasadenae, that is thought to have become extinct in the 1930s. Several streams where it once lived have high elevation pools that were not surveyed in the 1930s or anytime afterwards, and it is possible that populations might have survived in these more remote areas."
~http://collections.nhm.org/newsletters/pdfs/2005-03.pdf...what a challenge..like finding a coelacanth
Does anyone breed Syncaris pacifica? That would be fantastic. What rivers in Baja is Macrobrachium shrimp found?
I've used this USGS Report to figure out what introduced shrimp are where: http://nas.er.usgs.gov/taxgroup/Crustaceans/shrimp.html - although it seems vastly incomplete(?). I also understand that non-native Palaemonetes shrimp were introduced into western rivers, including the Colorado - and P. paludosus is found as far south as (my hometown) San Diego: http://www.sandiegoriver.org/documents/ ... ss06-3.pdf
I checked the message-thread and wanted to re-visit California freshwater shrimp...I Googled somewhere that S. pasadenae was driven to extinction by the construction of the Rose Bowl Stadium. A sad social commentary if true. This researcher, Jody Martin, http://adc.aims.gov.au/nwhicreefs/cruis ... oel-martin has been trying to find it:
"Jody Martin has been making occasional forays into the San Gabriel and San Bernardino Mountains to look for possible habitat for a shrimp species, Syncaris pasadenae, that is thought to have become extinct in the 1930s. Several streams where it once lived have high elevation pools that were not surveyed in the 1930s or anytime afterwards, and it is possible that populations might have survived in these more remote areas."
~http://collections.nhm.org/newsletters/pdfs/2005-03.pdf...what a challenge..like finding a coelacanth
Does anyone breed Syncaris pacifica? That would be fantastic. What rivers in Baja is Macrobrachium shrimp found?
It is entirely possible that some macrobrachium might occur in the western US, but probably very rare if extant. Otherwise California would not have much of a native crayfish fauna and the invasive crayfish Procambarus clarkii would not have spread all over the place with macros present to eat them and compete for the same hideouts. It is true, however, that P. paludosus has been introduced to California. I don't recall if the introduction was intentional or not. Once I move to California I'll try to see if there are any Macros out there as I will be surveying every possible river and creek in southern California (and the Baja) over the next few years. 
As for Syncaris pacifica, I would love to breed this species and contribute to its survival as long/as soon as I get permission from the state of California, as this species is protected. The problem with "protecting" species but not their habitat is that the species will die along with its habitat. Fact is that most of S. pacifica's range is on rivers that run on private land and the landowners can do whatever they want (and have in the past) with their property.
As for S. pasadenae, it would be great if this species were re-discovered as it would be a great addition to the already poor US shrimp fauna.
As for Syncaris pacifica, I would love to breed this species and contribute to its survival as long/as soon as I get permission from the state of California, as this species is protected. The problem with "protecting" species but not their habitat is that the species will die along with its habitat. Fact is that most of S. pacifica's range is on rivers that run on private land and the landowners can do whatever they want (and have in the past) with their property.
As for S. pasadenae, it would be great if this species were re-discovered as it would be a great addition to the already poor US shrimp fauna.