''Heterocarpus'' is a genus of deep-sea

shrimp Shrimp are crustaceans (a form of shellfish) with elongated bodies and a primarily swimming mode of locomotion – most commonly Caridea and Dendrobranchiata of the decapod order, although some crustaceans outside of this order are refer ...

, mainly of tropical areas all over the world.

Description

''Heterocarpus'' is characterised by the highly unequal second pair of

pereiopod The decapod (crustaceans such as a crab, lobster, shrimp or prawn) is made up of 20 body segments grouped into two main body parts: the cephalothorax and the pleon (abdomen). Each segment may possess one pair of appendages, although in various g ...

s: one side is long and thin and the other is short but stronger, besides the

carapace A carapace is a Dorsum (biology), dorsal (upper) section of the exoskeleton or shell in a number of animal groups, including arthropods, such as crustaceans and arachnids, as well as vertebrates, such as turtles and tortoises. In turtles and tor ...

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 ''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 str ...

'' Yang, Chan & Chu, 2010 *''

Heterocarpus affins ''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 st ...

'' Faxon, 1893 *'' Heterocarpus alexandri'' A. Milne-Edwards, 1883 *''

Heterocarpus amacula ''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 str ...

'' Crosnier, 1988 *''

Heterocarpus calmani ''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 str ...

'' Crosnier, 1988 *''

Heterocarpus chani ''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 st ...

'' 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 ''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 st ...

'' McGilchrist, 1905 *'' Heterocarpus neisi'' Burukovsky, 1986 *''

Heterocarpus oryx ''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 st ...

'' A. Milne-Edwards, 1881 *'' Heterocarpus parvispina'' Crosnier, 1988 *''

Heterocarpus reedi ''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 st ...

'' Bahamondi, 1955 *''

Heterocarpus sibogae ''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 str ...

'' De Man, 1917 *'' Heterocarpus signatus'' Rathbun, 1906 *'' Heterocarpus tenuidentatus'' Crosnier, 2006 *'' Heterocarpus tricarinatus'' Alcock & Anderson, 1894 *''

Heterocarpus unicarinatus ''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 str ...

'' Borradeile, 1915 *''

Heterocarpus woodmasoni ''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 str ...

'' Alcock, 1901 *''

Heterocarpus vicarius ''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 str ...

'' Faxon, 1893

Ecology

Many ''Heterocarpus'' shrimp are known for using

bioluminescence Bioluminescence is the production and emission of light by living organisms. It is a form of chemiluminescence. Bioluminescence occurs widely in marine vertebrates and invertebrates, as well as in some fungi, microorganisms including some b ...

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 Fishery can mean either the enterprise of raising or harvesting fish and other aquatic life; or more commonly, the site where such enterprise takes place ( a.k.a. fishing ground). Commercial fisheries include wild fisheries and fish farms, both ...

potential, such as ''H. reedi'' and ''H. laevigatus''.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q3932367 Caridea