Cirolanid isopod (Arubolana aruboides)
| Synonyms: | Bermudalana aruboides |
|---|
| Kingdom | Animalia |
|---|---|
| Phylum | Arthropoda |
| Class | Crustacea |
| Order | Isopoda |
| Family | Cirolanidae |
| Genus | Arubolana (1) |
| Size | Total male body length: 3.1 to 3.9 mm (2) Total female body length: 3.3 to 4.1mm (2) |
Classified as Critically Endangered (CR) on the IUCN Red List 2006 (1).
This cirolanid isopod is a small, blind, unpigmented crustacean with a moderately slender body, which is slightly more than 3 times as long as it is wide (2).
Reported from Church and Wonderland Caves, Hamilton Parish, and from Bitumen and Wilkinson Quarry Caves, Bermuda (2).
Found in anchialine lakes inside limestone caves. All specimens have been collected from open lake saline waters at depths of 7 to 15 m, and were observed swimming several metres above the bottom (2).
Nothing is known about the biology of this species other than that it is believed to be a predator, capturing its food in open waters (2).
Wilkinson Quarry Cave is positioned in an active limestone quarry and is therefore threatened with destruction or degradation (2).
There are currently no conservation measures underway targeting this species.
For more information on this atyid shrimp see:
- Anchialine Caves and Cave Fauna of the World:
http://www.tamug.edu/cavebiology/fauna/isopods/A_aruboides.html
This information is awaiting authentication by a species expert, and will be updated as soon as possible. If you are able to help please contact: arkive@wildscreen.org.uk
- Anchialine: coastal bodies of standing waters that have no surface connections to the ocean but display both tidal fluctuations and salinity ranges characteristic of fresh and brackish waters, indicating the presence of subsurface connections to the watertable and ocean.
- Saline: salt water.
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IUCN Red List (January, 2007)
http://www.iucnredlist.org -
Anchialine Caves and Cave Fauna of the World (February, 2007)
http://www.tamug.edu/cavebiology/fauna/isopods/A_aruboides.html