Heterocarpus is a genus of deep-sea shrimp, mainly of tropical areas all over the world.
Description Heterocarpus is characterised by the highly unequal second pair of pereiopods: one side is long and thin and the other is short but stronger, besides the carapace with one or more longitudinal carinae.
Species So far, 30 species have been described for this genus, Heterocarpus ensifer being the type species. The described species of this genus are:
Heterocarpus abulbus Yang, Chan & Chu, 2010 Heterocarpus affins Faxon, 1893 Heterocarpus alexandri A. Milne-Edwards, 1883 Heterocarpus amacula Crosnier, 1988 Heterocarpus calmani Crosnier, 1988 Heterocarpus chani Li, 2006 Heterocarpus corona Yang, Chan & Chu, 2010 Heterocarpus cutressi Monterossa, 1988 Heterocarpus dorsalis Bate, 1888 Heterocarpus ensifer A. Milne-Edwards, 1881 Heterocarpus inopinatus Tavares, 1999 Heterocarpus intermedius Crosnier, 1999 Heterocarpus gibbosus Bate, 1888 Heterocarpus grimaldii A. Milne-Edwards & Bouvier, 1900 Heterocarpus hayashii Crosnier, 1988 Heterocarpus hostilis Faxon, 1893 Heterocarpus laevigatus Bate, 1888 Heterocarpus lepidus De Man, 1917 Heterocarpus longirostris McGilchrist, 1905 Heterocarpus neisi Burukovsky, 1986 Heterocarpus oryx A. Milne-Edwards, 1881 Heterocarpus parvispina Crosnier, 1988 Heterocarpus reedi Bahamondi, 1955 Heterocarpus sibogae De Man, 1917 Heterocarpus signatus Rathbun, 1906 Heterocarpus tenuidentatus Crosnier, 2006 Heterocarpus tricarinatus Alcock & Anderson, 1894 Heterocarpus unicarinatus Borradeile, 1915 Heterocarpus woodmasoni Alcock, 1901 Heterocarpus vicarius Faxon, 1893
Ecology
Many Heterocarpus shrimp are known for using bioluminescence as a defense, spitting it on predators. Studies about their feeding habits, and the fact that they may be found in the stomach contents of some pelagic sharks and other fishes is interpreted as they have benthic habits, but they do migrations to the water column at night. Some species of this genus have high fishery potential, such as H. reedi and H. laevigatus.
References