One Amazon Shrimp Species is Actually Three: Genetics Reveal Diversity

Scientists may have just learned how little they know about diversity in the Amazon. They've discovered three previously unknown species of shrimp that evolved about 10 million years ago.

The massive amount of biodiversity in the Amazon is well-known. But the fact that the region is so biodiverse means that species remain undiscovered. In this case, the scientists were examining a species of freshwater shrimp; while some argued that this one species was actually two species, scientists weren't sure whether that was the case.

The scientists combined molecular and morphological approach in order to resolve this particular issue. The scientists not only found that the species were genetically distinct, but instead of one species there were actually three.

"Even with a wide genetic difference, these species are very similar morphologically," said Fabricio Carvalho, one of the researchers, in a news release. "It is not uncommon to find shrimps that require the use of molecular tools to identify correct its species or recognize the existence of a new species."

The new findings reveal just how little we know about the diversity of crustaceans in Amazonia. Yet with the new use of genetic data, it's possible to facilitate the discovery of new species as scientists continue their work.

"This study is part of a long term project aiming to investigate the American species of marine and freshwater shrimps," said Fernando Mantelatto, one of the researchers. "The variability in many species is quite expressive and new species will certainly be discovered in the next years."

The findings are published in the journal ZooKeys.

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