1. Guides
  2. Crayfishes and Shrimp of the Green River, KY
  3. Kentucky Cave Shrimp

Kentucky Cave Shrimp

Palaemonias ganteri

Summary 2

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 3

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 4

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 5

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 6

Despite much study in Mammoth Cave ecosystem, data on this species scant.

Habitat 7

Comments: Apparently changing specific localities as a function of water levels and seasonal sediment deposition. Found in pools with silty bottoms.

Habitat and ecology 8

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
  • Freshwater

Iucn red list assessment 9


Red List Category
VU
Vulnerable

Red List Criteria
B1ab(iii)

Version
3.1

Year Assessed
2013

Assessor/s
De Grave, S. & Rogers, C.

Reviewer/s
Cumberlidge, N. & Smith, K.

Contributor/s

Justification
The 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
  • 1996
    Endangered (EN)
  • 1994
    Endangered (E)

Migration 10

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 11

Rounded Global Status Rank: G1 - Critically Imperiled

Population 12

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 Trend
Unknown

Reproduction 13

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 14

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 15

Comments: Apparently sifts sediments. Barr (1968) postulates diet of PARAMECIUM, PERANEMA, HALTERIA, PHACUS, and DIFFLUGIA.

Sources and Credits

  1. (c) U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Headquarters, some rights reserved (CC BY), https://www.flickr.com/photos/usfwshq/12434722624/
  2. Adapted by rkkessler from a work by (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palaemonias_ganteri
  3. (c) International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/34624209
  4. (c) Unknown, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/26254914
  5. (c) NatureServe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/28901427
  6. (c) NatureServe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/28901432
  7. (c) NatureServe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/28901434
  8. (c) International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/34624207
  9. (c) International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/34624204
  10. (c) NatureServe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/28901433
  11. (c) NatureServe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/28901424
  12. (c) International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/34624206
  13. (c) NatureServe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/28901431
  14. (c) International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/34624208
  15. (c) NatureServe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/28901435

More Info

iNat Map

Member of the iNaturalist Network   |   Powered by iNaturalist open source software |   Documentation for developers