The Kentucky cave shrimp (Palaemonias ganteri) is an eyeless, troglobite shrimp. It lives in caves in Barren County, Edmonson County, Hart County and Warren County, Kentucky. The shrimp's shell has no pigment; the species is nearly transparent and closely resembles its nearest relative, the Alabama cave shrimp.

The habitat of the Kentucky cave shrimp is exclusively in underground streams of caves. It is endemic to the Mammoth Cave National Park region of central Kentucky. The shrimp feeds mainly on sediments that are washed into the cave by the movement of groundwater.

Conservation

The Kentucky cave shrimp was registered as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act in 1983, and was included on the IUCN Red List as Endangered in 1994. which includes:

  1. Surveying the location and extent of all areas supporting shrimp
  2. Conducting life history and other research required to determine what constitutes a viable population
  3. Monitoring population status
  4. Maintaining adequate water quality;
  5. Protecting the shrimp from introduced predators
  6. Producing and conducting public education programs.

References