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NFC: Mystery isopods?
- To: nfc at actwin_com
- Subject: NFC: Mystery isopods?
- From: "Thom DeWitt" <dewitt at ceeb_uky.edu>
- Date: Wed, 3 Feb 1999 13:36:37 +0000
- Comments: Authenticated sender is <dewitt at darwin_ceeb.uky.edu>
My attempt to anwer the mystery shrimp question generated more
questions:
From Kaus Schoening:
> My question is, how do you know they aren't fairy shrimp?
From Tony Gustafson:
> Thanks for the info Thom. I guess my next question would be, If the
> mystery shrimp are isopods, and are "livebearers," then how do they
> survive the dry summers? Often times there's not an ounce of moisture
> in that pond!
First, I suppose they could be fairy shrimp, but the description of
activity under the ice makes me think they must be isopods. Tony's
memory might settle this issue. Tony, were the animals somewhat
flattened and did they spend most of their time in your aquaria on
the bottom? If so they are isopods. If they were not flattened and
swam regularly in the water column, they were fairy shrimp. For that
size (1") I can't imagine they were anything else.
Second, isopods do very well in temporary creeks and ponds,
especially in disturbed sites, such as along railroad tracks. They
do not produce resting eggs like fairy shrimp, daphnia, and brine
shrimp. Rather, they burrow and are apparently dessication
resistant. Note that the majority of isopod species are terrestrial.
Sowpugs, pillbugs, and the like are terrestrial isopods.
Hope this helps!
Thom
_________________________________________________________________
Dr. Thomas J. DeWitt
Address until March 1, 1999:
Center for Ecology, Evolution, & Behavior
TH Morgan School of Biological Sciences
University of Kentucky
Lexington, KY 40506-0225
http://darwin.ceeb.uky.edu/ceeb/profs/thom/webpage.htm
tel 606/323-4992; fax 257-1717; email dewitt at ceeb_uky.edu
After March 1, 1999:
Department of Wildlife & Fisheries Sciences
Texas A&M University
College Station, TX 77843-2258
E-mail tdewitt at wfscgate_tamu.edu