Scientists from Germany and Singapore have described eight new species of Caridina shrimp from the lakes of Sulawesi.
Many of which have already been imported for the aquarium (see Sulawesi shrimps).
Kristina von Rintelen and Yixiong Cai published a revision of the lacustrine Caridina of Sulawesi in the most recent issue of the Raffles Bulletin of Zoology in which they describe these eight species.
The eight new species named are Caridina dennerli, C. glaubrechti, C. holthuisi, C. parvula, C. profundicola and C. striata from the Malili lake system, and C. caerulea and C. schenkeli from Lake Poso.
The authors also raise the concern the effect of collecting large numbers of lacustrine Sulawesi shrimps for the aquarium trade may have on the survival of these species.
The December issue of Practical Fishkeeping magazine includes pictures of the species and interview with Dr Kristina von Rintelen.
Caridina dennerli
This species has been sold as Caridina sp. cardinal in the aquarium trade, and is named after German company Dennerle, who supported the authors project.
The body and most appendages of C. dennerli are dark red to purple, with a pattern of conspicuous small white spots on the body.
Most of the first two pairs of legs, the antennae and part of the snout are white. It is found on or under small rocks, and between boulders in Lake Matano.
Caridina glaubrechti
This species has been sold as Caridina sp. red orchid or Caridina sp. brown camo in the aquarium trade, and is named after Matthias Glaubrecht, who initiated the project and collected some material.
Caridina glaubrechti is brown with several white bands or patches on the body, with a conspicuous white band on the abdomen and transparent or partly brownish appendages. It lives amongst rocks and boulders in Lake Towuti.
Caridina holthuisi
This species has been sold as Caridina sp. Matano black tiger in the aquarium trade, and is named after famous carcinologist (a scientist who studies crabs) Lipke Holthuis.
Caridina holthuisi is dark brown, often with transverse beige bands or a beige dorsal longitudinal band on the body. It lives amongst leaf litter in the three major lakes of the Malili system and in the Petea River.
Caridina parvula
This species is named after its small size (Latin parvus=small). Caridina parvula has a light red body (which can turn completely blue when stressed) with a few faint white transverse bands, and transparent appendages.
It lives amongst rocks in lakes Matano and Towuti, and in the Petea and Tominanga rivers.
Caridina profundicola
This species is named after its relatively deep habitat (Latin profundus=deep and collere=to inhabit).
Caridina profundicola has a transparent yellowish body and usually has two conspicuous yellow bands on the abdomen. It lives amongst large rocks in the deeper waters of Lake Towuti.
Caridina striata
This species has been sold as Caridina sp. red stripe in the aquarium trade, and is named after its characteristic colour pattern of red and white stripes (Latin striatus=stripe).
Caridina striata is red with a characteristic pattern of white stripes and spots and reddish transparent appendages except for the first two pairs of legs, which are usually white. It lives amongst rocks in lakes Towuti and Mahalona.
Caridina caerulea
This species has been sold as Caridina ensifera blue in the aquarium trade and is named after its partly blue colour (Latin caeruleus=blue).
Caridina caerulea has a transparent reddish or yellowish body, bluish legs and snout, and a pair of prominent blue patches on the tail fan. It lives amongst wood and rocks in Lake Poso.
Caridina schenkeli
This species has a transparent yellowish or brownish body and is found on various kinds of substrate (rocks, riverine vegetation, roots, dead wood) in the rivers east and south of Lake Poso.
For more information, see the paper: von Rintelen, K and Y-X Cai (2009) Radiation of endemic species flocks in ancient lakes: Systematic revision of the freshwater shrimp Caridina H. Milne Edwards, 1837 (Crustacea: Decapoda: Atyidae) from the ancient lakes of Sulawesi, Indonesia, with the description of eight new species. The Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 57, pp. 343"452.