# Kentucky cave shrimp

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Species of crustacean

Kentucky cave shrimp Conservation status Vulnerable (IUCN 3.1)[1] Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Clade: Pancrustacea Class: Malacostraca Order: Decapoda Suborder: Pleocyemata Infraorder: Caridea Family: Atyidae Genus: Palaemonias Species: P. ganteri Binomial name Palaemonias ganteri Hay, 1901

The **Kentucky cave shrimp** (*Palaemonias ganteri*) is an eyeless, [troglobite](/source/Troglobite) [shrimp](/source/Caridea). It lives in [caves](/source/Cave) in [Barren County](/source/Barren_County%2C_Kentucky), [Edmonson County](/source/Edmonson_County%2C_Kentucky), [Hart County](/source/Hart_County%2C_Kentucky) and [Warren County](/source/Warren_County%2C_Kentucky), [Kentucky](/source/Kentucky).[2] The shrimp's shell has no [pigment](/source/Pigment); the species is nearly transparent and closely resembles its nearest relative, the [Alabama cave shrimp](/source/Alabama_cave_shrimp).

The habitat of the Kentucky cave shrimp is exclusively in underground streams of caves. It is [endemic](/source/Endemism) to the [Mammoth Cave National Park](/source/Mammoth_Cave_National_Park) region of central Kentucky. The shrimp feeds mainly on [sediments](/source/Sediment) that are washed into the cave by the movement of [groundwater](/source/Groundwater).

## Conservation

The Kentucky cave shrimp was registered as an [endangered species](/source/Endangered_species) under the [Endangered Species Act](/source/Endangered_Species_Act) in 1983,[3] and was included on the [IUCN Red List](/source/IUCN_Red_List) as Endangered in 1994.[1] There are currently only several thousand remaining. It is mostly threatened by [contaminated groundwater](/source/Water_pollution) running into its habitat.[2] Several nearby communities either have inadequate [sewage treatment](/source/Sewage_treatment) facilities or lack such facilities altogether. An additional potential threat is the entry of contaminants from traffic accidents and roadside businesses. One incident in 1979 caused the death of aquatic cave organisms in a part of the [Mammoth Cave](/source/Mammoth_Cave) system, and in a 1980 incident, a truck carrying toxic [cyanide](/source/Cyanide) salts overturned on [Interstate 65](/source/Interstate_65), just south of [Mammoth Cave National Park](/source/Mammoth_Cave_National_Park).

A recovery plan is underway[4] which includes:

1. Surveying the location and extent of all areas supporting shrimp

1. Conducting life history and other research required to determine what constitutes a viable population

1. Monitoring population status

1. Maintaining adequate water quality;

1. Protecting the shrimp from introduced predators

1. Producing and conducting public education programs.

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-iucn_status_12_November_2021_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-iucn_status_12_November_2021_1-1) De Grave, S.; Rogers, C. (2013). ["*Palaemonias ganteri*"](https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/15888/788947). *[IUCN Red List of Threatened Species](/source/IUCN_Red_List)*. **2013** e.T15888A788947. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T15888A788947.en](https://doi.org/10.2305%2FIUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T15888A788947.en). Retrieved 12 November 2021.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-KY_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-KY_2-1) Tim Slone; Traci Wethington, eds. (1998). ["Kentucky Cave Shrimp, *Palaemonias ganteri*"](https://web.archive.org/web/20101008111401/http://fw.ky.gov/navigation.aspx?cid=338). *Kentucky's Threatened and Endangered Species* (2001 ed.). [Frankfort, Kentucky](/source/Frankfort%2C_Kentucky): [Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources](/source/Kentucky_Department_of_Fish_and_Wildlife_Resources). pp. 17–18. Archived from [the original](http://fw.ky.gov/navigation.aspx?cid=338) on October 8, 2010.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Kentucky Cave shrimp *(Palaemonias ganteri)* species profile"](https://ecos.fws.gov/ecp/species/K01X). *Environmental Conservation Online System*. [United States Fish and Wildlife Service](/source/United_States_Fish_and_Wildlife_Service). October 15, 2010.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Harley, Stephen A. Miller, John P. (2002). [*Zoology 5th edition*](https://archive.org/details/zoology0000mill/page/119) (5th ed.). Boston [etc.]: McGraw-Hill. p. [119](https://archive.org/details/zoology0000mill/page/119). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-07-029411-0](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-07-029411-0).{{[cite book](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_book)}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_multiple_names:_authors_list))

Taxon identifiers Palaemonias ganteri Wikidata: Q2715402 CoL: 8VBR2 ECOS: 5008 EoL: 1023115 GBIF: 2223016 iNaturalist: 108241 IRMNG: 10767741 ITIS: 97245 IUCN: 15888 NatureServe: 2.118477 Open Tree of Life: 2973936 WoRMS: 586640

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Kentucky cave shrimp](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kentucky_cave_shrimp) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kentucky_cave_shrimp?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.