Meeting Abstract

P3.12  Thursday, Jan. 6  Autofluorescence of Remipede, Shrimp, Pericarid and Ostracod Crustaceans from Anchialine Cave Systems: An Innovative Device for Ecological Study GLENN, Dawn L.*; PAKES, M. Joey; CALDWELL, Roy L.; Univ. of California, Berkeley; Univ. of California, Berkeley; Univ. of California, Berkeley dawnglenn@berkeley.edu

In anchialine caves, a marine layer flows beneath one or more layers of less saline water separated by distinct haloclines, resulting in a unique habitat that has led to the evolution of numerous endemic fauna. As these systems are generally sparsely populated and difficult for researchers to access, little is known about the growth, reproduction and life history of their inhabitants. A good example is Remipedia, a rare class of Crustacea restricted to anchialine systems. Molting has not been described for remipedes or for many other anchialine fauna. Here we demonstrate autofluoresence under near-ultraviolent wavelengths in ostracod, isopod, amphipod, thermosbaenacean, Atyid shrimp, and remipede crustaceans from the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico. Many arthropods exhibit autofluoresence and scorpions have been found to fluoresce more brightly at different stages of their molt cycle. Studies such as ours, in which we compare the intensity and wavelength distribution of fluorescent molecules present in shrimp and remipede individuals of varying sizes (juvenile to adult) from Cenote Crustacea, Quintana Roo, Mexico, may lead to important discoveries about the development and ecology of these understudied fauna. Furthermore, the rarity of many anchialine endemics makes our discovery of their autofluorescent qualities valuable for observing these animals in situ. Fluorescence techniques may assist in locating anchialine individuals, exuviae, spermaries and/or eggs that have not yet been found in the field. The fluorescent properties explored here may, therefore, be a powerful tool in the study of not only anchialine caves, but other dark systems inhabited by rare autofluorescent crustacean fauna, as well.