Genus of crustaceans From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Heterocarpus is a genus of deep-sea shrimp, mainly of tropical areas all over the world.
| Heterocarpus | |
|---|---|
| |
| Heterocarpus ensifer | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Malacostraca |
| Order: | Decapoda |
| Suborder: | Pleocyemata |
| Infraorder: | Caridea |
| Family: | Pandalidae |
| Genus: | Heterocarpus A. Milne-Edwards, 1881 |
| Type species | |
| Heterocarpus ensifer A. Milne-Edwards, 1881 | |
Heterocarpus is characterised by the highly unequal second pair of pereiopods: one side is long and thin and the other is short but stronger, besides the carapace with one or more longitudinal carinae.[1][2]
So far, 30 species have been described for this genus, Heterocarpus ensifer being the type species. The described species of this genus are:
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Many Heterocarpus shrimp are known for using bioluminescence as a defense, spitting it on predators.[3] Studies about their feeding habits,[4] and the fact that they may be found in the stomach contents of some pelagic sharks[5] and other fishes[6] is interpreted as they have benthic habits, but they do migrations to the water column at night. Some species of this genus have high fishery potential, such as H. reedi [7] and H. laevigatus.[8]
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