Template:Palaemonidae

Palaemonidae

Order

Decapoda

Family

Palaemonidae

This freshwater shrimp was found in streams in Puerto Rico. Its body is laterally compressed and the third pair of its pereiopods (walking legs) lack chelae. Unlike the primarily benthic crayfish we see in Vermont streams, palaemonid shrimp can be quite active in the water column and frequently jump out of the water when approached. Freshwater shrimp in two other families (Atyidae and Xiphocarididae) occur in Puerto Rico but we have not collected them at our stream sites.