Heavy rains across Central Australia have brought about the ephemeral phenomenon of tiny shield shrimps hatching from years of obscurity in the middle of the desert.

Growing to seven centimetres at maturity, the shrimps are members of the crustacean family yet look more like an alien tadpole with a double-pronged tail.

A remnant of prehistoric times, on mainland Australia there is only one type of shield shrimp (triops australiensis) and it is commonly found across the middle section of the country.

While occasionally found in drainpipes or ditches all year round, the shield shrimps are most often found temporarily in bodies of water that periodically dry up.

“They can turn up in the absolute millions upon millions,” Mr Barritt said.

Where do these desert curiosities come from?

The shrimp’s arrival after heavy rains — as seen recently across Central Australia with the flooding evacuation of one community — relies on their super-resilient eggs.

Fans of the retro toys sea monkeys might be familiar with the concept.

“Forget about your average egg,” Mr Barritt said.

“These are eggs that can dry out and get blown by the wind. They deal with all the kinds of extreme temperatures that inland Australia gets, including high temperatures and low temperatures at night in wintertime.

dv said:

Heavy rains across Central Australia have brought about the ephemeral phenomenon of tiny shield shrimps hatching from years of obscurity in the middle of the desert.

Growing to seven centimetres at maturity, the shrimps are members of the crustacean family yet look more like an alien tadpole with a double-pronged tail.

A remnant of prehistoric times, on mainland Australia there is only one type of shield shrimp (triops australiensis) and it is commonly found across the middle section of the country.

While occasionally found in drainpipes or ditches all year round, the shield shrimps are most often found temporarily in bodies of water that periodically dry up.

“They can turn up in the absolute millions upon millions,” Mr Barritt said.

Where do these desert curiosities come from?

The shrimp’s arrival after heavy rains — as seen recently across Central Australia with the flooding evacuation of one community — relies on their super-resilient eggs.

Fans of the retro toys sea monkeys might be familiar with the concept.

“Forget about your average egg,” Mr Barritt said.

“These are eggs that can dry out and get blown by the wind. They deal with all the kinds of extreme temperatures that inland Australia gets, including high temperatures and low temperatures at night in wintertime.

Ta. Are they a ‘evolved from the time of an inland sea’ thing?

sarahs mum said:

dv said:

Heavy rains across Central Australia have brought about the ephemeral phenomenon of tiny shield shrimps hatching from years of obscurity in the middle of the desert.

Growing to seven centimetres at maturity, the shrimps are members of the crustacean family yet look more like an alien tadpole with a double-pronged tail.

A remnant of prehistoric times, on mainland Australia there is only one type of shield shrimp (triops australiensis) and it is commonly found across the middle section of the country.

While occasionally found in drainpipes or ditches all year round, the shield shrimps are most often found temporarily in bodies of water that periodically dry up.

“They can turn up in the absolute millions upon millions,” Mr Barritt said.

Where do these desert curiosities come from?

The shrimp’s arrival after heavy rains — as seen recently across Central Australia with the flooding evacuation of one community — relies on their super-resilient eggs.

Fans of the retro toys sea monkeys might be familiar with the concept.

“Forget about your average egg,” Mr Barritt said.

“These are eggs that can dry out and get blown by the wind. They deal with all the kinds of extreme temperatures that inland Australia gets, including high temperatures and low temperatures at night in wintertime.

Ta. Are they a ‘evolved from the time of an inland sea’ thing?

IDK but given their long lasting eggs, maybe they evolved in an ephemerally moist place.

Someone had the idea a few years ago to sell the eggs as a kind of Australian version of Sea Monkeys; these were called Billabong Bugs. I tried to get some for a niece, but they seem to have gone off the market. A little more research revealed that they’re cannibals, and children were finding them eaten or half-eaten in their tanks, and they were taken off the market for traumatising the children.

dv said:

sarahs mum said:

dv said:

Heavy rains across Central Australia have brought about the ephemeral phenomenon of tiny shield shrimps hatching from years of obscurity in the middle of the desert.

Growing to seven centimetres at maturity, the shrimps are members of the crustacean family yet look more like an alien tadpole with a double-pronged tail.

A remnant of prehistoric times, on mainland Australia there is only one type of shield shrimp (triops australiensis) and it is commonly found across the middle section of the country.

While occasionally found in drainpipes or ditches all year round, the shield shrimps are most often found temporarily in bodies of water that periodically dry up.

“They can turn up in the absolute millions upon millions,” Mr Barritt said.

Where do these desert curiosities come from?

The shrimp’s arrival after heavy rains — as seen recently across Central Australia with the flooding evacuation of one community — relies on their super-resilient eggs.

Fans of the retro toys sea monkeys might be familiar with the concept.

“Forget about your average egg,” Mr Barritt said.

“These are eggs that can dry out and get blown by the wind. They deal with all the kinds of extreme temperatures that inland Australia gets, including high temperatures and low temperatures at night in wintertime.

Ta. Are they a ‘evolved from the time of an inland sea’ thing?

IDK but given their long lasting eggs, maybe they evolved in an ephemerally moist place.

similar survival mechanism to commonly called ‘sea monkeys’. the eggs are harvested out of salt flats inland

dv said:

sarahs mum said:

dv said:

Heavy rains across Central Australia have brought about the ephemeral phenomenon of tiny shield shrimps hatching from years of obscurity in the middle of the desert.

Growing to seven centimetres at maturity, the shrimps are members of the crustacean family yet look more like an alien tadpole with a double-pronged tail.

A remnant of prehistoric times, on mainland Australia there is only one type of shield shrimp (triops australiensis) and it is commonly found across the middle section of the country.

While occasionally found in drainpipes or ditches all year round, the shield shrimps are most often found temporarily in bodies of water that periodically dry up.

“They can turn up in the absolute millions upon millions,” Mr Barritt said.

Where do these desert curiosities come from?

The shrimp’s arrival after heavy rains — as seen recently across Central Australia with the flooding evacuation of one community — relies on their super-resilient eggs.

Fans of the retro toys sea monkeys might be familiar with the concept.

“Forget about your average egg,” Mr Barritt said.

“These are eggs that can dry out and get blown by the wind. They deal with all the kinds of extreme temperatures that inland Australia gets, including high temperatures and low temperatures at night in wintertime.

Ta. Are they a ‘evolved from the time of an inland sea’ thing?

IDK but given their long lasting eggs, maybe they evolved in an ephemerally moist place.

I’ve read that the anaspides that live in pools and streams on the top of Mt Wellington evolved from sea critters..

btm said:

Someone had the idea a few years ago to sell the eggs as a kind of Australian version of Sea Monkeys; these were called Billabong Bugs. I tried to get some for a niece, but they seem to have gone off the market. A little more research revealed that they’re cannibals, and children were finding them eaten or half-eaten in their tanks, and they were taken off the market for traumatising the children.

Lol. Thanks for clearing that up.

I didn’t know that there was only one species in Australia, had thought there were more. Checks web. “Triops can be found in Australia, Asia, South America, Great Britain, and in some parts of North America.” “ fossils attributable to this genus have been found in rocks of Carboniferous age, an estimated 300 million years ago, and one extant species, Triops cancriformis, has hardly changed since the Jurassic period (approximately 180 million years ago)”

Troops canciformis lives in Europe and Triops cancriformis has a very fast life cycle, and individuals become mature in about two weeks after hatching.

There are 10 known species of Triops. Can be hermaphrodites.

sarahs mum said:

I’ve read that the anaspides that live in pools and streams on the top of Mt Wellington evolved from sea critters..

The what? Checks web.

“In the pools of the upper reaches of these streams near the top of the mountain, a very peculiar shrimp-like animal is found. It is now recognised as one of those survivals of a bygone age of which the Australian continent has furnished so many and such interesting examples. The nearest allies of this animal appear to be some marine shrimps which come down to us as fairly common fossils in the sand deposited round the Permian and Carboniferous seas of Europe and North America”

From https://walkingthederwent.com/tag/anaspides-tasmaniae/

A very apposite anaspides.

Some what Trilobite looking

Yeah, but, do they taste any good?

Cymek said:

Some what Trilobite looking

also look a bit like the chest burster from Alien

furious said:

Yeah, but, do they taste any good?

like sea chickens

dv said:

also look a bit like the chest burster from Alien

Face-hugger or chest-burster?

ChrispenEvan said:

furious said:

Yeah, but, do they taste any good?

like sea chickens

:)

Witty Rejoinder said:

dv said:

also look a bit like the chest burster from Alien

Face-hugger or chest-burster?

bit of both I suppose

Witty Rejoinder said:

dv said:

also look a bit like the chest burster from Alien

Face-hugger or chest-burster?

I have life sized models of both of the above

I watched large black ants interacting with shield shrimps in an inland puddle. One and only one of a group of ants on the edge of the puddle would slowly walk across the surface of the water and climb aboard the shrimp’s shield, gripping it around the edges. The shrimp would buck violently for up to a minute before throwing the ant off. The ant would swim back to shore, and then another ant would go try it. They didn’t seem to be trying to capture any of the shrimps, and they didn’t act as a group, as ants usually do.

It was all the world like a few mates at a pub egging each other on to ride the mechanical bull.

Cymek said:

Witty Rejoinder said:

dv said:

also look a bit like the chest burster from Alien

Face-hugger or chest-burster?

I have life sized models of both of the above

Of me and WR? (blush)

Cymek said:

Witty Rejoinder said:

dv said:

also look a bit like the chest burster from Alien

Face-hugger or chest-burster?

I have life sized models of both of the above

All you need is a 6ft xenomorph and you’ll have the whole set.

I love these creatures! Maybe more than marmosets!

Michael V said:

I watched large black ants interacting with shield shrimps in an inland puddle.

I’ve seen things you people wouldn’t believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched large black ants interacting with shield shrimps in an inland puddle. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain. Time to die.

kii said:

I love these creatures! Maybe more than marmosets!

Then you probably like horseshoe crabs as well.

What about ostracods? Do you love rose as well?

mollwollfumble said:

kii said:

I love these creatures! Maybe more than marmosets!

Then you probably like horseshoe crabs as well.

What about ostracods? Do you love rose as well?

I like ostracods (they were important as Age-and-Formation index fossils in Europe). I caught some once in a pond on a drying creek out from Armidale NSW. It took days to work out what they were (apart from almost microscopic white dots).

dv said:

Michael V said:

I watched large black ants interacting with shield shrimps in an inland puddle.

I’ve seen things you people wouldn’t believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched large black ants interacting with shield shrimps in an inland puddle. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain. Time to die.

sniffle

:(

dv said:

Witty Rejoinder said:

dv said:

also look a bit like the chest burster from Alien

Face-hugger or chest-burster?

bit of both I suppose

Face hugger and chest burster are two different creatures, face hugger lays an egg and then falls off, incubating creature does the chest burst thing

the shield shrimp eggs must have evolved from both moist and dry ponds or lakes

if there’s a cycle between both extremes, life adapts to it over lots of time

Tau.Neutrino said:

Face hugger and chest burster are two different creatures

Well duh

, face hugger lays an egg and then falls off, incubating creature does the chest burst thing

the shield shrimp eggs must have evolved from both moist and dry ponds or lakes

if there’s a cycle between both extremes, life adapts to it over lots of time

All we are saying is that it resembles a chest burster, physically.

Tau.Neutrino said:

dv said:

Witty Rejoinder said:

Face-hugger or chest-burster?

bit of both I suppose

Face hugger and chest burster are two different creatures, face hugger lays an egg and then falls off, incubating creature does the chest burst thing

The Xenomorph physical form varies wildly depending on its life stage, hive caste, age and host, with numerous genetic varieties existing whose origins are completely unknown (but may be discovered, should they release another movie), as well as varieties which have been genetically engineered by host species or genetically grown. The typical Xenomorph starts life as an egg-like creature which, when detecting the presence of a potential host, opens up to release the second stage: a small quasi-arachnoid life form which launches itself onto the host’s face and impregnates it with an endoparasitoid larva, which later consumes the host from within and exits the body as a vaguely worm-like organism, which then grows very quickly, developing into the adult Xenomorph.

http://aliens.wikia.com/wiki/Xenomorph

ChrispenEvan said:

Tau.Neutrino said:

dv said:

bit of both I suppose

Face hugger and chest burster are two different creatures, face hugger lays an egg and then falls off, incubating creature does the chest burst thing

The Xenomorph physical form varies wildly depending on its life stage, hive caste, age and host, with numerous genetic varieties existing whose origins are completely unknown (but may be discovered, should they release another movie), as well as varieties which have been genetically engineered by host species or genetically grown. The typical Xenomorph starts life as an egg-like creature which, when detecting the presence of a potential host, opens up to release the second stage: a small quasi-arachnoid life form which launches itself onto the host’s face and impregnates it with an endoparasitoid larva, which later consumes the host from within and exits the body as a vaguely worm-like organism, which then grows very quickly, developing into the adult Xenomorph.

http://aliens.wikia.com/wiki/Xenomorph

BTW how did it grow so fast? What did it eat?

• BTW how did it grow so fast? What did it eat?

Often wondered that, it doesn’t obviously eat its victims. Perhaps it grows like a tree, absorbing what it needs from the atmosphere…

dv said:

Tau.Neutrino said:

Face hugger and chest burster are two different creatures

Well duh

, face hugger lays an egg and then falls off, incubating creature does the chest burst thing

the shield shrimp eggs must have evolved from both moist and dry ponds or lakes

if there’s a cycle between both extremes, life adapts to it over lots of time

All we are saying is that it resembles a chest burster, physically.

Yes it does resemble the face hugger, not the chest burster, chest burster looks like a little alien

dv said:

ChrispenEvan said:

Tau.Neutrino said:

Face hugger and chest burster are two different creatures, face hugger lays an egg and then falls off, incubating creature does the chest burst thing

The Xenomorph physical form varies wildly depending on its life stage, hive caste, age and host, with numerous genetic varieties existing whose origins are completely unknown (but may be discovered, should they release another movie), as well as varieties which have been genetically engineered by host species or genetically grown. The typical Xenomorph starts life as an egg-like creature which, when detecting the presence of a potential host, opens up to release the second stage: a small quasi-arachnoid life form which launches itself onto the host’s face and impregnates it with an endoparasitoid larva, which later consumes the host from within and exits the body as a vaguely worm-like organism, which then grows very quickly, developing into the adult Xenomorph.

http://aliens.wikia.com/wiki/Xenomorph

BTW how did it grow so fast? What did it eat?

Must have broke into the kitchen and got to the supplies

astronauts do eat stuff in space

• astronauts do eat stuff in space

corn bread…

Albert: They’re a bit like facehuggers, aren’t they?
TD: Facehuggers?
Albert: You know, Alien. The horror movie, Alien.
TD: There’s a horror movie called Alien? That’s really offensive. No wonder everyone keeps invading you.

furious said:

• astronauts do eat stuff in space

corn bread…

Not Ripley she doesn’t like it

I met the guy who is/was studying a Shield Shrimp at Mt Ridley (60 odd km NE of Esperance). These are different to the very shrimp like crustaceans shown in this thread and more like a bivalve mollusc (in America a similar looking animal is called a Clam Shrimp, which is a better common name), however as the expert here called it a Shield Shrimp, so shall I.

These shrimps are very small (less than a cm in length) and can be quite common in ephemeral rock pools, or even seasonally flooded swamps near the coast. which from the ones I have encountered prefer freshwater and not brine, as does the Brine or Monkey Shrimps. Interestingly, they only favour certain pools or swamps and most water holding areas will be shrimp free, so there must be something they need that is not widespread.

“So even the rain that falls isn’t actually going to fill our dams and our river systems, and that’s a real worry for the shield shrimps, of Australia”

The_observer said:

“So even the rain that falls isn’t actually going to fill our dams and our river systems, and that’s a real worry for the shield shrimps, of Australia”

Don’t think they care.