My latest aquisitions

[fishmosy]

Some pics of my latest aquisitions. I suspect they are Paratya australiensis. They have an overall pale blue body with a golden head covered in black spots. The photos really don't do them justice. Interestingly some of them do not have a rostrum. Not sure if this is a genetic defect, environmental or physical damage. They were found above a waterfall so I suspect the larvae will hatch out as mini adults.
They have gone into a tank with my riffles (Australatya striolata).

 

 

[Baccus]

Interesting, could the missing rostrum be due to getting broken in the net when catching them? I wonder if after a moult the ones missing rostrums will have grown new ones.

[fishmosy]

I don't think so. They were missing them as soon as I caught them, and the net's mesh was too fine for their rostrum to be caught in. 

Might just be a defect in a population that is cut off from other populations. 

[Baccus]

It could be a genetic defect or it could be that there is actually two species (a sub species) are living in the same population. I wonder if you could separate the rostrum ones from the lacking rostrum ones and see if the next generation of either shrimp show either rostrums or no rostrums in their respective tanks. If either trait shows up in the opposite tank then I am guessing you have a recessive defective gene.

[fishmosy]

Pretty certain they are all the same species. The rest of the body looks exactly the same. I'll just keep an eye on them for the moment. Don't really want to spare another tank for them. Too many projects as it is. 

[ura]

Paratya rostrum is very prone to breaking. If you have a microscope you'll see that broken ones have a clean cut with sharp edges. Deformed ones are less jagged.

[fishmosy]

These look rounded, like a stump, rather than a clean break. 

[ura]

Mmm interesting. Can you send me any specimens to have a look?

[ura]

Any dead ones or the moulted exoskeleton I mean. Can be preserved in alcohol or metho.

[fishmosy]

No problem. Can do. 

[ura]

Thanks!