Triops cancriformis
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| Triops cancriformis Fossil range: 220–0 Ma |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Crustacea |
| Class: | Branchiopoda |
| Order: | Notostraca |
| Family: | Triopsidae |
| Genus: | Triops |
| Species: | T. cancriformis |
| Binomial name | |
| Triops cancriformis |
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| The range of Triops cancriformis | |
Triops cancriformis, or Horseshoe shrimp (not to be confused with horseshoe crabs), is an endangered species of tadpole shrimp found in Europe.
The species is considered endangered in the United Kingdom and in many other European countries.[1] In captivity they commonly grow up to 6 cm (2.4 in); however, in the wild they can achieve sizes of 11 cm (4.3 in).[1]
The UK's population of horseshoe shrimps is limited to two locations: the Caerlaverock Wetlands in Scotland, and a pond in the New Forest[2].
This species is considered to be the oldest living species on the planet at ~200 million years old. Fossils of this species from the Upper Triassic (Norian) period appear virtually unchanged compared to modern day members of the species.[3]
[edit] Taxonomic history of Triops cancriformis
In 1801, Bosc made the first officially recognized species description of Triops crancriformis.[4] He named this species Apus cancriformis. Other authors used the name Apus cancriformis over the years but often with the wrong original author of this name.
In 1909, Keilhack used the correct name Triops crancriformis (Bosc). This was in a field identification key of the freshwater fauna of Germany. He took up the genus name proposed by Schrank and suggested that the genus name Apus be replaced with Triops Schrank. However, other authors disagreed with him and the controversy continued until the 1950s.
In 1955, Longhurst provided the original author of T. crancriformis as Triops cancriformis (Bosc, 1801) with a full history of synonomy to support it. This was in a taxonomic review of the Notostraca that also supported using the genus name Triops instead of Apus. In 1958, the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN) recognized the name Triops crancriformis (Bosc, 1801-1802) (ICZN name no. 1476) as officially the oldest. They also recognized the genus name Triops Schrank instead of Apus. They followed Longhurst in these decisions.
[edit] References
- ^ a b "Tadpole shrimp - Triops cancriformis - Information". ARKive. http://www.arkive.org/species/ARK/invertebrates_terrestrial_and_freshwater/Triops_cancriformis/more_info.html. Retrieved 2009-04-20.
- ^ "Triops, the 300 million year-old living fossil". Planet Earth online. 22 December 2008. http://planetearth.nerc.ac.uk/features/story.aspx?id=212. Retrieved 22 July 2009.
- ^ Klaus-Peter Kelber - Triops
- ^ O. S. Møller, J. Olesen, and J. T. Høeg (2003). "SEM studies on the early larval development of Triops crancriformis (Bosc)(Crustacea: Branchiopoda, Notostraca)". Acta Zoologica 84: 267-284. doi:.
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