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 <small>Yang, Chan & Chu, 2010</small>
- Heterocarpus affins <small>Faxon, 1893</small>
- Heterocarpus alexandri <small>A. Milne-Edwards, 1883</small>
- Heterocarpus amacula <small>Crosnier, 1988</small>
- Heterocarpus calmani <small>Crosnier, 1988</small>
- Heterocarpus chani <small>Li, 2006</small>
- Heterocarpus corona <small>Yang, Chan & Chu, 2010</small>
- Heterocarpus cutressi <small>Monterossa, 1988</small>
- Heterocarpus dorsalis <small>Bate, 1888</small>
- Heterocarpus ensifer <small>A. Milne-Edwards, 1881</small>
- Heterocarpus inopinatus <small>Tavares, 1999</small>
- Heterocarpus intermedius <small>Crosnier, 1999</small>
- Heterocarpus gibbosus <small>Bate, 1888</small>
- Heterocarpus grimaldii <small>A. Milne-Edwards & Bouvier, 1900</small>
- Heterocarpus hayashii <small>Crosnier, 1988</small>
- Heterocarpus hostilis <small>Faxon, 1893</small>
- Heterocarpus laevigatus <small>Bate, 1888</small>
- Heterocarpus lepidus <small>De Man, 1917</small>
- Heterocarpus longirostris <small>McGilchrist, 1905</small>
- Heterocarpus neisi <small>Burukovsky, 1986</small>
- Heterocarpus oryx <small>A. Milne-Edwards, 1881</small>
- Heterocarpus parvispina <small>Crosnier, 1988</small>
- Heterocarpus reedi <small>Bahamondi, 1955</small>
- Heterocarpus sibogae <small>De Man, 1917</small>
- Heterocarpus signatus <small>Rathbun, 1906</small>
- Heterocarpus tenuidentatus <small>Crosnier, 2006</small>
- Heterocarpus tricarinatus <small>Alcock & Anderson, 1894</small>
- Heterocarpus unicarinatus <small>Borradeile, 1915</small>
- Heterocarpus woodmasoni <small>Alcock, 1901</small>
- Heterocarpus vicarius <small>Faxon, 1893</small>
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