Linderiella occidentalis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Linderiella occidentalis |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Phylum: | |
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| Order: |
Anostraca
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| Family: |
Chirocephalidae
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| Genus: |
Linderiella
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| Species: |
L. occidentalis
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| Binomial name | |
| Linderiella occidentalis (Dodds, 1923)
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The Linderiella occidentalis is also known as the California fairy shrimp or California Linderella. It is a type of fairy shrimp that lives in California. This small crustacean is about 1 cm (less than half an inch) long. It belongs to the Chirocephalidae family.
The California fairy shrimp has a long, delicate body. It has big compound eyes on stalks. Unlike some other crustaceans, it does not have a hard outer shell called a carapace. It uses its eleven pairs of swimming legs to move. It swims gracefully upside down. Its legs beat in a wavy motion from front to back. Like other fairy shrimp, L. occidentalis eats tiny things. These include algae, bacteria, protozoa, rotifers, and detritus (tiny bits of decaying matter).
Most fairy shrimp in California belong to the Branchinectidae family. One example is the vernal pool fairy shrimp. This species is often found in the same pools. California fairy shrimp are smaller than Branchinecta species. They also have special red eyes.
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Life Cycle of the California Fairy Shrimp
California fairy shrimp usually live in large, clear vernal pools and lakes. Vernal pools are seasonal wetlands that fill with water in winter and spring. They then dry up in the summer. These shrimp can live in water that is clear or a bit cloudy. They can also survive in water with a pH level from 6.1 to 8.5. They have even been found in very small pools.
These fairy shrimp can handle water temperatures from 5 to 29 degrees Celsius (41 to 84 degrees Fahrenheit). This makes them the most heat tolerant fairy shrimp in California.
How Fairy Shrimp Reproduce
Female fairy shrimp carry their eggs in a special pouch called a ventral brood sac. The eggs are either dropped to the bottom of the pool. Or, they stay in the brood sac until the mother dies and sinks. When the pool dries out, the eggs also dry out. They stay in the dry pool bed. They will not hatch until it rains again. Other things in the environment also help them hatch.
These resting fairy shrimp eggs are called cysts. Cysts are very tough. They can survive extreme heat, cold, and long periods of desiccation (drying out). When the pools fill with water again, some of the cysts will hatch. Not all of them hatch at once. The soil in the pool bed can hold cysts from many years of breeding. This creates a "cyst bank."
It takes about 45 days for the fairy shrimp to grow into adults. The fastest they can mature is 31 days. This is the longest minimum time for any fairy shrimp in California's Central Valley. Adult fairy shrimp have been seen from late December to early May.
Where California Fairy Shrimp Live
The California fairy shrimp is the most common fairy shrimp in the Central Valley. This area is a large, flat valley in the middle of California. These shrimp have been found in many different types of land and soil. They live in places that have vernal pools. They can be found at high altitudes, up to 1,150 meters (3,770 feet) above sea level.
In 1994, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service looked at several fairy shrimp species. These included the vernal pool fairy shrimp and the California fairy shrimp. They found that the California fairy shrimp lives from Shasta County in the north down to Fresno County in the south. They also live across the valley to the Coast and Transverse Ranges. This area stretches from Willits in Mendocino County south to near Sulfur Mountain in Ventura County.
Protecting the California Fairy Shrimp
Like all species that live in vernal pools in the Central Valley, the California fairy shrimp has lost a lot of its home. Over the last 100 years, many grassland-vernal pool areas have been turned into cities or farms. This loss of habitat is the biggest danger to the California fairy shrimp.
Besides losing their homes directly, California fairy shrimp populations have also shrunk. This is because some activities make existing vernal pools unsuitable for them. Changes to how water flows into and out of vernal pools can really harm these habitats. For example, building roads, trails, ditches, or canals can block water flow. This can stop water from reaching the pools or drain water away from them.
Fairy shrimp populations have also decreased due to water contamination. Vernal pool crustaceans are very sensitive to the chemicals in their water. Pollution can hurt or kill them. Dangerous chemicals like petroleum products, pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, and soap can wash into vernal pools. This often happens when nearby areas are developed.
Other activities also harm California fairy shrimp habitats. These include using off-road vehicles, dumping trash, and the spread of invasive species (plants or animals that are not native and cause harm). Vandalism, erosion, and sedimentation (when dirt or sand builds up) also cause problems.
The California fairy shrimp was once considered for protection. It was proposed for listing along with other species like the vernal pool fairy shrimp, vernal pool tadpole shrimp, conservancy fairy shrimp, and longhorn fairy shrimp. However, the proposal for the California fairy shrimp was later withdrawn. The other four species were listed as endangered or threatened. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service decided that the California fairy shrimp was not likely to become endangered or threatened in the near future. So, it did not qualify for listing under the Act.
This article is based on the work of the United States Federal Government, which is in the public domain.
