Atyid shrimp  (Typhlatya iliffei)

This small shrimp is whitish overall with some internal red pigment cells (chromatophores). The eyes are also pigmented and are directed upward through the orbit (eye socket). The walking legs are long and slender, and there is a long, simple, spine-like rostrum, but no spines exist on the smooth body surface (carapace) (2).

Known only from Tucker's Town Cave, Bermuda (2).

Found in the brackish water of a sand and silt-bottomed pool in a single, anchialine, limestone cave. Specimens have been collected at a depth of 12 m (2).

Nothing is known about the biology of this species.

The threats to this atyid shrimp are unknown, but its confinement to just a single cave place it in an extremely vulnerable position in which habitat degradation or alteration could rapidly lead to its extinction (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/shrimp/T_iliffei.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