Caridina sharmai:
Researchers recently identified a new species of freshwater shrimp named Caridina sharmai living in the Gomti River, marking the first time this type of crustacean has been recorded in the Lucknow region.
- Caridina sharmai is a new species of freshwater shrimp.
- It was discovered in the upper reaches of the River Gomti (tributary of the Ganges) in the Lucknow region of Uttar Pradesh.
- It is distinguished by several unique physical characteristics that set it apart from its closest relatives, such as Caridina jalihali and Caridina mathiassi.
- Unlike many of its cousins, this new shrimp lacks a median spine on its tail (the telson) and possesses a deep, distinctive hollow or excavation on the joints of its front legs.
- These legs are also equipped with long, brush-like hairs that the shrimp uses to scrape algae from aquatic plants and filter food from the water.
- In the wild, these shrimps appear dark brown or black with yellowish-grey stripes, allowing them to blend into the shadows of the riverbed.
- The researchers observed that when kept in aquariums, the shrimp’s colour gradually fades until the creature becomes almost entirely transparent.
- They are described as calm, social animals that prefer to live in groups, clinging to underwater vegetation.
