African Shrimp

Catfish · Post by **Catfish** » Sat Feb 17, 2007 3:33 pm

Hi everyone!

Can anyone tell me, what species this shrimp this is:

Additional info: It is wild caught in Africa, possibly Nigeria. Freshwater.

Thanks for your reply.

Kr Allan

Newjohn · Post by **Newjohn** » Sat Feb 17, 2007 4:21 pm

Hi Catfish
And welcome to The Forum

I am sorry I can not help with the idendification.

What is the length of this Shrimp ?
It looks to have a large Rostrum.

John

Veneer · Post by **Veneer** » Sat Feb 17, 2007 7:49 pm

It appears to be a species of Desmocaris.

Post by **Mustafa** » Sat Feb 17, 2007 9:07 pm

What we can say for sure is that it is a palaemonid shrimp. There are various species of non-Macrobrachium palaemonid shrimp in Africa, including Palaemonetes and Desmocaris. If it is Desmocaris or not is really hard to tell from a picture and, in my opinion, next to impossible to tell from this one.

Whatever it is, try to breed it if you happen to have males and females. It's likely that it produces larvae with an extremely abbreviated larval stage that do not need saltwater.

Catfish · Post by **Catfish** » Sun Feb 18, 2007 4:29 am

If it has a very short larval stadium, that does not need salt water, does that tell me anything about the species?

Kr Allan

Neonshrimp · Post by **Neonshrimp** » Sun Feb 18, 2007 10:27 am

Mustafa wrote:What we can say for sure is that it is a palaemonid shrimp. There are various species of non-Macrobrachium palaemonid shrimp in Africa, including Palaemonetes and Desmocaris.

Reading the information above, I just viewed the shrimp varieties page where the glass shrimp have this abbreviated larval stage and their body shape is similar.

Catfish · Post by **Catfish** » Tue Feb 20, 2007 4:17 pm

Which schrimp do you refer to as Glass Shrimp?

A latin name will be deeply appreciated here, as that will ease my search to compare pictures and info.

Thank You very much

Kr Allan

RCSGuy · Post by **RCSGuy** » Tue Feb 20, 2007 4:53 pm

Catfish wrote:Which schrimp do you refer to as Glass Shrimp?

A latin name will be deeply appreciated here, as that will ease my search to compare pictures and info.

Thank You very much

Kr Allan

Palaemonetes sp. it says most likely Palaemonetes ivonicus

Catfish · Post by **Catfish** » Tue Feb 20, 2007 5:01 pm

Hi again

Thanks for the quick reply.

I find, that Palaemonetes ivonicus has its origin in Peru. This shrimp depicted is without a doubt from Africa. Is it still possible, that the shrimp is Palaemonetes ivonicus?

If not, I will have to settle with labelling it Palaemonetes sp. and accept, that not all shrimp are well descriped scientifically.

Kr Allan

RCSGuy · Post by **RCSGuy** » Tue Feb 20, 2007 5:03 pm

May not be ivonicus but some form of Palaemonetes.
Could it be Palaemonetes vulgaris?

Catfish · Post by **Catfish** » Tue Feb 20, 2007 5:12 pm

I have looked at Palaemonetes vulgaris, but as far as i found, Palaemonetes vulgaris is distributed in North America, from NY in the north to South Carolina.

Other ideas to species very welcome, keep firing.

Kr Allan

RCSGuy · Post by **RCSGuy** » Tue Feb 20, 2007 5:14 pm

I think I got it this time

Palaemonetes varians
It says they are found in Algeria, Africa

Synonyms.- Palaemonetes varians microgenitor Boas, 1889, Palaemonetes varians occidentalis Sollaud, 1923.

Size.- Total length up to 45 mm.

Distribution.- From southern Scandinavia and from Scotland to Morocco, some parts of the Mediterranean basin: France (Rhone estuary), Algeria, Tunisia.

Ecology.- Brackish waters, sometimes with very low salinity, but never in freshwater. Stagnant and slowly running waters, salt marshes.

Remarks.- Palaemonetes varians is the only Palaemonetes of the European Atlantic coasts, but several species of that genus are present in the Mediterranean bassin.

Catfish · Post by **Catfish** » Tue Feb 20, 2007 5:19 pm

Nonono - P. varians is a saltwater species. SOmetimes i Brachish water. Will perish quichly in freshwater.

(I can actually catch Palaemonetes varians in my kids-net along the shores of Denmark)

The shrimp on the picture is definitively thriving well in its pure freshwater tank

Please try again

RCSGuy · Post by **RCSGuy** » Tue Feb 20, 2007 5:21 pm

Palaemonetes antennarius

Ecology.- Lakes and rivers, sometimes lagoons. A true freshwater species, but sometimes found in brackish waters.

Catfish · Post by **Catfish** » Tue Feb 20, 2007 5:26 pm

Palaemonetes antennarius is distributed along the mediterranian coast. A demersal species as far as i know, so hope not.

But closest yet, and may be.

I do however think this may be an undescriped Palaemonetes species, and I am willing to settle for that.

Have to go to bed now, I think. Looking forward to seeing, if there is any news here in the morning.

Thanks for the help so far, RCS Guy

Kr Allan