Caecidotea nickajackensis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Caecidotea nickajackensis |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
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Asellidae
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| Genus: |
Caecidotea
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C. nickajackensis
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| Caecidotea nickajackensis Packard, 1881
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The Caecidotea nickajackensis was a tiny, freshwater creature. It was a type of isopod, which are small animals related to crabs and shrimp. This particular isopod lived only in one cave in Tennessee, USA. Sadly, it is now extinct. Scientists believe it disappeared when its cave home was flooded in 1967. This happened because the Nickajack Dam was built.
What Happened to the Nickajack Isopod?
The Caecidotea nickajackensis was found only in Nickajack Cave in Tennessee. This cave was its only known home. In 1967, the Tennessee Valley Authority built the Nickajack Dam. This dam caused the cave to flood completely.
When the cave flooded, the water covered the areas where these isopods lived. This event led to the complete loss of the Caecidotea nickajackensis. Two other unique cave animals also disappeared at the same time. These were a pseudoscorpion called Microcreagris nickajackensis and a ground beetle named Pseudanophthalmus nickajackensis. All three species were lost forever.
Why Was It Important to Protect It?
Before it became extinct, the C. nickajackensis was listed as a vulnerable species. This means it was at high risk of dying out. It was also considered a "species of concern" under the Endangered Species Act. This law helps protect animals and plants that are in danger.
Even with these protections, the isopod could not be saved. It was completely wiped out from Nickajack Cave in 1967. Scientists now consider it to be extinct, meaning there are no more of these animals left anywhere in the world.
How Was It Discovered?
The Caecidotea nickajackensis was first described in 1881. It was discovered by a scientist named Alpheus Spring Packard. He wrote about it in a publication called The Fauna of Nickajack Cave. Another similar species, C. richardsonae, was found in the same cave in 1901. For a long time, people thought these two species were the same. However, scientists now know that C. richardsonae is a different species. It lives in other areas from Alabama to Virginia.
