Crabs, shrimp, and lobsters are in the order Decapoda. Subterranean habitats around the world have their fair share of decapods inhabiting them but I have always been interested in the groundwater shrimp. North America has a few species and they are all imperiled to differing degrees. With the cave work that I do, I’ve been excited about photographing any of the native species and I got my chance with Palaemonetes antrorum (family Palaemonidae). A friend with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service allowed me to photograph a few specimens. They ranged in size from 1.5-2cm (about 1/2 to 3/4 inches) in total length. The species is endemic to Texas and the IUCN currently categorizes the Balcones Cave Shrimp or the Texas Cave Shrimp (P. antrorum) as EN (endangered). After the photoshoot, I had a fair amount of material that I was reasonably happy with. I’ve posted a number of examples here.
As with all of my images posted here, they are for your enjoyment and are not public domain, all are copyrighted. Please do not copy, download, post online, or reuse in any fashion the photographs that I have posted without express written permission to do so. Any use of my images ... Read the rest of the entry...
I was able to spend a few days In Santiago, Chile, setting up a Darwin’s Frog breeding center at the National Zoo of Chile. The dedication to the project by conservation professionals in Chile like Mauricio Fabry Otte, Marcela Tirado, Andres Charrier, and Jaime García Valdés is inspiring. My old friend Bill Lamar went with me and was a significant help in getting the facility set up. I can’t thank these folks enough for their time, support, and dedication to conserving Darwin’s Frogs.
As with all of my images posted here, they are for your enjoyment and are not public domain, all are copyrighted. Please do not copy, download, post online, or reuse in any fashion the photographs that I have posted without express written permission to do so. Any use of my images must be approved in writing. To access the images I have posted, you must click on the subject heading link above. By doing so, your action serves as legal recognition of my stated copyright restrictions, it signifies your willingness to use the images only after written permission is provided, and it acknowledges that failure to follow the rules is a violation of international copyright law. Thank you ... Read the rest of the entry...