Alvinocarididae


Alvinocarididae is a family of shrimp, originally described by M. L. Christoffersen in 1986 from samples collected by DSV Alvin, from which they derive their name. Shrimp of the family Alvinocarididae generally inhabit deep sea hydrothermal vent regions, and hydrocarbon cold seep environments. Carotenoid pigment has been found in their bodies. The family Alvinocarididae comprises 7 extant genera.

Species

''[Alvinocaris]''

''[Chorocaris]''

  • Chorocaris chacei Williams & Rona, 1986 – North Atlantic Ocean, mid-Atlantic ridge, Snake Pit, TAG, Lucky Strike and Logatchev hydrothermal vent fields; Type locality: North Atlantic Ocean, mid-Atlantic ridge, TAG hydrothermal vent field, at depths of.
  • Chorocaris paulexa Martin & Shank, 2005 – South Pacific Ocean, southern East Pacific Rise, Rapa Nui Homer hydrothermal vent site, ; occurs in large numbers on black smokers.
  • Chorocaris vandoverae Martin & Hessler, 1990 – Pacific Ocean, Mariana back arc basin; Type locality: West Pacific Ocean, Mariana back arc spreading center, Alice Springs hydrothermal vent field,, at a depth of. C. vandoverae is often found with mussels and snails of the genus Alviniconcha.

''[Mirocaris]''

  • Mirocaris fortunata Martin & Christiansen, 1995 – North Atlantic Ocean, mid-Atlantic ridge, Logatchev, TAG, Broken Spur, Rainbow, Snake Pit, Lucky Strike and Menez Gwen hydrothermal fields; Type locality: North Atlantic Ocean, mid-Atlantic ridge, Azores, Lucky Strike hydrothermal field,, at a depth of. M. fortunata has the broadest range of any alvinocaridid shrimp. It is dominant on chimney walls or chimney bases in the southern hydrothermal vent sites.

''[Nautilocaris]''

''[Opaepele]''

''[Rimicaris]''

  • Rimicaris exoculata Williams & Rona, 1986 – North Atlantic Ocean, mid-Atlantic ridge, Snake Pit, TAG, Broken Spur, Lucky Strike, Logatchev and Rainbow hydrothermal vent fields, at depths of ; Type locality: North Atlantic Ocean, mid-Atlantic ridge, TAG vent field,, at depths of. R. exoculata is the most extensively studied species to date, and occurs in active swarms that may be as dense as 2500 individuals per square metre. It occurs on chimney walls in the temperature range.
  • Rimicaris hybisae Nye, Copley & Plouviez, 2011 - Atlantic Ocean, Mid-Cayman Rise, Piccard and Von Damm hydrothermal vent fields.
  • Rimicaris kairei Watabe & Hashimoto, 2002 – Indian Ocean, Central Indian Ridge, Kairei hydrothermal vent field,, at a depth of ; also found in Edmonds hydrothermal vent field, NNW of Kairei hydrothermal vent field.

''[Shinkaicaris]''

  • Shinkaicaris leurokolos Kikuchi & Hashimoto, 2000 – West Pacific Ocean, Mid-Okinawa Trough, Minami-Ensei Knoll hydrothermal vent field,, at a depth of.