| Triops australiensis | |
|---|---|
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| Crustaceans Triops australiensis (shield shrimps) in aquarium | |
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Branchiopoda |
| Order: | Notostraca |
| Family: | Triopsidae |
| Genus: | Triops |
| Species: | T. australiensis |
| Binomial name | |
| Triops australiensis | |
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| The range ofTriops australiensis | |
Triops australiensis, sometimes referred to as ashield shrimp,[2] is an Australian species of thetadpole shrimpTriops.
Triops australiensis has a wide distribution acrossAustralia, excluding the northernmost parts ofWestern Australia, andQueensland.[3] It is also absent fromTasmania in the south, where it is replaced byLepidurus apus.[1] The two species can be distinguished by the presence of a supra-anal plate between the caudal rami at the end of theabdomen inL. apus, which is lacking inT. australiensis.[4]
T. australiensis inhabits temporary pools of water in thearid regions of theAustralian outback. When desiccated pools fill with water, the resting eggs hatch intonauplii, and rapidly develop to adulthood. Reproduction succeeds within a few weeks of hatching.[5] Adults achieve a maximum size of around 3 inches (7.6 cm), which is considered large for a tadpole shrimp.
Triops australiensis can tolerate apH of 7–9, and can live in bothhard andsoft water, but the eggs ofT. australiensis are more likely to hatch in water with a low mineral content.
Media related toTriops australiensis at Wikimedia Commons