Atya gabonensis

Blue Monsterfächergarnele ( Atya gabonensis )

The Blue Monsterfächergarnele ( Atya gabonensis ), also called Gabon Riesenfächergarnele, is a large, peaceful Fächergarnele from the kind of giant prawns subjects ( Atya ).

Features

The species reaches a length of about 140 mm. Females have at the beginning of the abdomen belly larger signs than males; also the claws of the female are not quite as large as that of males. The color varies from whitish, light blue over red-brown to a deep blue color. The type of color appears to be primarily dependent on the color of the base substrate. On dark ground the shrimp are most strongly colored blue. The color is closer matched with each molt the present ground. With their strong third walking legs shrimp is able to cling to the strongest flow at the bottom. The extremely enlarged third walking legs of males and wrinkly furrowed surface of the carapace ( carapace ), together with the body size (adult animals can reach a length of 14 cm ) to the German common name " Monstergarnele " out. The dark appearance of the shrimp is exceeded within the family of Atyidae only by the closely related species Atya crassa. In this way the folds of the carapace still bear rows of strong spines. In the genus Atya, these two animals the most developed species dar. Under aquaristischer posture puts Atya gabonensis no hazard for other residents. Like other species of the genus shows Atya gabonensis while growing an interesting color changes. As young animals often bluish colored, older animals often change to brownish shades.

Way of life

Like all subjects shrimp has Atya gabonensis long bristles on the first two pairs of walking legs, which are used for filtering plankton. They are deployed like a fan in the active state, are held in the flow and tightened at regular intervals, and stripped under the body. The ausfiltrierten micro- organisms are absorbed by the shrimp. The sensitive bristle apparatus is frequently cleaned and sorted.

Dissemination

Atya gabonensis is spread on both sides of the Atlantic. As the name " Gabon " suggests, Atya gabonensis also inhabited the West African coast. The distribution areas of this kind go from Senegal south to the Congo and on the east coast of South America from Venezuela to Brazil. The animals inhabit as other subjects shrimp rocky, stony brook runs right up into the source region.

Propagation

The shrimp spawn in fresh water from flowing waters. After hatching, the larvae of these are driven by the flow into the estuary of the rivers, so that the larvae can enter the necessary for their further development seawater or brackish water. The developed juveniles then migrate upriver into freshwater habitats of their species. In aquariums recruitment is not possible. While putting the females usually eggs on, but the resulting hatching shrimp larvae can not develop due to lack of brackish or sea water.

Swell

  • HH Hobbs, CW Hart: The shrimp genus Atya ( Decapoda: Atyidae ). Smithsonian contributions to zoology, 1982, No. 364

Weblink

  • Atya gabonensis in the Red List of Threatened Species IUCN 2013.2. Posted by: De Grave, S. & Mantellato, F., 2012, Accessed on 20 January 2014.
  • Caridea ( decapods )
  • Invertebrate aquarium animal
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