Summary
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The Kentucky cave shrimp, Palaemonias ganteri, is an eyeless, troglobite shrimp. It lives in caves in Barren County, Edmonson County, Hart County and Warren County, Kentucky. The shrimp's shell has no pigment; the species is nearly transparent and closely resembles its nearest relative, the Alabama cave shrimp.
Conservation actions
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Conservation Actions
Three of the underground basins the species lives in are completely within the Mammoth Cave National Park, whilst three further systems are partially within the Park.
Conservation status
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Current Listing Status Summary
Status: Endangered
Date Listed: 10/12/1983
Lead Region: Southeast Region (Region 4)
Where Listed: Entire
Population detail:
Population location: Entire
Listing status: E
For most current information and documents related to the conservation status and management of Palaemonias ganteri , see its USFWS Species Profile
Distribution
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Global Range: (<100-250 square km (less than about 40-100 square miles)) Endemic to the Mammoth cave/Fint Ridge cave system in Kentucky.
Ecology
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Despite much study in Mammoth Cave ecosystem, data on this species scant.
Habitat
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Comments: Apparently changing specific localities as a function of water levels and seasonal sediment deposition. Found in pools with silty bottoms.
Habitat and ecology
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Habitat and Ecology
The species inhabits underground streams - typically large, base level cave streams characterized by slow flow, abundant organic material, coarse to fine grain sand, and coarse silt sediments.
Systems
Iucn red list assessment
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Red List CategoryVU
Vulnerable
Red List CriteriaB1ab(iii)
Version3.1
Year Assessed2013
Assessor/sDe Grave, S. & Rogers, C.
Reviewer/sCumberlidge, N. & Smith, K.
Contributor/sJustificationThe species is known from nine underground basins in four counties (Barren, Edmondson, Hart, Warren) in Kentucky, USA (Anon. 2010). Three of the underground basins the species lives in are completely within the Mammoth Cave National Park, whilst three further systems are partially within the Park. The species is considered to be impacted by contamination of the groundwater flowing into its habitat, with the main threat being inadequately treated or untreated sewage. Further, agricultural development in the region has the potential to affect the species as runoff from farming and forest clearing areas could introduce fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, and sediment into the cave systems (Slone and Whetington 2001). Further sources of contamination are spillage from road traffic accidents, and seepage from abandoned and active oil wells (Anon. 2010). Although no information is available on population trends, the populations are known to vary between 50 individuals (Mile 205.7 Spring) and 10,000 (Pike Spring) (Anon. 2010). The total area occupied by the nine underground basins is not known, but the combined surface area of the four counties in which the species occurs totals 4,594 km2, making for a total EOO of less than 5,000 km2. As however the species is known from nineundergroundbasins (each a location), the species is considered to be Vulnerable under criteria B1ab(iii).
History
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1996
Endangered (EN)
-
1994
Endangered (E)
Migration
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Non-Migrant: No. All populations of this species make significant seasonal migrations.
Locally Migrant: No. No populations of this species make local extended movements (generally less than 200 km) at particular times of the year (e.g., to breeding or wintering grounds, to hibernation sites).
Locally Migrant: No. No populations of this species make annual migrations of over 200 km.
Usually slow walkers on bottom, but when disturbed quickly swim to top.
Nature serve conservation status
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Rounded Global Status Rank: G1 - Critically Imperiled
Population
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Population
The species has a life span of only 1 to 2 years and a low reproductive rate of 14 to 33 eggs per year, with eggs hatching and larval stages feed during late summer and autumn. Although no information is available on population trends, the populations are known to vary between 50 individuals (Mile 205.7 Spring) and 10,000 (Pike Spring) (Anon. 2001).
Population TrendUnknown
Reproduction
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Paulson & Smith (1969) report "early egg" stage May-mid June; "late egg" stage October-mid November. Barn & Kuehne (1971) report ovigerous females May and October, with eggs of latter much larger. Reproduction May through mid November.
Threats
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Major Threats
The species is impacted by contamination of the groundwater flowing into its habitat, with the main threat being inadequately treated or untreated sewage. Further, agricultural development in the region has the potential to affect the species as runoff from farming and forest clearing areas could introduce fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, and sediment into the cave systems (Slone and Whetington 2001). Further sources of contamination are spillage from road traffic accidents, and seepage from abandoned and active oil wells (Anon. 2010).
Trophic strategy
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Comments: Apparently sifts sediments. Barr (1968) postulates diet of PARAMECIUM, PERANEMA, HALTERIA, PHACUS, and DIFFLUGIA.
Sources and Credits
- (c) U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Headquarters, some rights reserved (CC BY),
https://www.flickr.com/photos/usfwshq/12434722624/
- Adapted by rkkessler from a work by (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA),
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palaemonias_ganteri
- (c) International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA),
http://eol.org/data_objects/34624209
- (c) Unknown, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA),
http://eol.org/data_objects/26254914
- (c) NatureServe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC),
http://eol.org/data_objects/28901427
- (c) NatureServe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC),
http://eol.org/data_objects/28901432
- (c) NatureServe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC),
http://eol.org/data_objects/28901434
- (c) International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA),
http://eol.org/data_objects/34624207
- (c) International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA),
http://eol.org/data_objects/34624204
- (c) NatureServe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC),
http://eol.org/data_objects/28901433
- (c) NatureServe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC),
http://eol.org/data_objects/28901424
- (c) International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA),
http://eol.org/data_objects/34624206
- (c) NatureServe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC),
http://eol.org/data_objects/28901431
- (c) International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA),
http://eol.org/data_objects/34624208
- (c) NatureServe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC),
http://eol.org/data_objects/28901435
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