Cirolanid isopod (Arubolana aruboides)

Species information

Facts

Previously known as:	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)

Status

Classified as Critically Endangered (CR) on the IUCN Red List 2006 (1).

Description

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).

Range

Reported from Church and Wonderland Caves, Hamilton Parish, and from Bitumen and Wilkinson Quarry Caves, Bermuda (2).

Habitat

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).

Biology

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).

Threats

Wilkinson Quarry Cave is positioned in an active limestone quarry and is therefore threatened with destruction or degradation (2).

Conservation

There are currently no conservation measures underway targeting this species.

Further Information

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

Authentication

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

Glossary

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.