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  3. Triops spp.

Triops spp.

Basic information
Scientific name Triops spp. (No picture)
Common names tadpole shrimp
Higher taxon Triopsidae, Notostraca, Branchiopoda, Arthropoda
Natural range Arid region of N America (T. longicaudatus), Europe (T. cancriformis), and E Asia (T. granarius)
Habitat rice field
Invasion information
Range in Japan Triops longicaudatus and T. granarius are widely distributed in central to western Japan. Triops cancriformis is recorded from Yamagata, Nagano, Tochigi, and Miyagi Prefs. Range in Japan
Origin Unknown.
Date The first records of T. longicaudatus, T. cancriformis, and T. granarius are 1916, 1948, and 1966, respectively.
Route Accidental: Hitchhiking on some transport such as crops. Spread within Japan is possibly due to captive breeding as pet and/or deliberate introduction to rice field for weed eradication.
Impact This species inhibit growth of sprout and harmful to rice cropping in USA. But, it is not harmful to Japanese style rice cropping.
Regulation in Japan No action for prevention, mitigation, control, or eradication.
Introduced range in other countries Unknown.
Reference Notes
  • Ecol Soc Japan (ed) (2002) Handbook of Alien Species in Japan. Chijin-Shokan. (in Jpn)
  • Nakai et al. (eds) (2003) Alien Species: Their Biology, Impact and Control. Lake Biwa Museum. (in Jpn)
  • Takahashi (1977) High Water Temperature Prevents Egg Hatching in Triops granarius (Notostraca : Triopsidae). App Entomol Zool. 12(2):196-197