Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 03, 2025

New species of clam shrimp discovered in 390-million-year-old fossils in USVI

New species of clam shrimp discovered in 390-million-year-old fossils in USVI

A species of a clam shrimp (Eulimnadia insularis) with fossils dating back to 390 million years ago has been discovered at the University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) campus on St Thomas, United States Virgin Islands.

News of the discovery was revealed in a special issue of the educational institution’s zoological studies publication on Wednesday.

According to the VI Consortium, the new species was found on the golf course of UVI. The University said this goes to prove how much of the biodiversity of the region remains undiscovered.

Notably, the discovery came when professors of the university teamed up on a project to make an inventory of the freshwater animals on the St Thomas.

In the aforesaid publication, Dr D Christopher Rogers from the University of Kansas and Dr Edwin Cruz-Rivera from UVI’s Department of Biological Sciences said the discovery was made after they compared the specimens found on the island to other species.

“It is very surprising that we would find a new species on a university campus that has been in use for decades and has a thriving biology programme,” Dr Cruz-Rivera, associate professor of biology reportedly stated.

He also said ‘relatively little’ is known of shrimp on St Thomas in comparison other islands such as St Croix, Puerto Rico, and St John.

Colonization appears to be recent


The report said the “peculiar occurrence and particular habitat of this species in a golf course at a university campus suggests a relatively recent colonization event”.

The report continued: “No previous samplings of this habitat exist to determine the age of the population with accuracy, but the golf course was constructed by the American Virgin Islands government in the early 1950s from an area that was originally part of the Bourne Field airport’s alternative runway, which was operated by the US Marine Corps until the end of World War II.”

It added that no fish were stocked as the ponds are seasonally astatic.

“Thus, the most logical route of introduction appears to be transport via aquatic birds which are commonly observed foraging in the area. During our surveys, Spotted Sandpipers were observed feeding in all the water hazards on the golf course, with at least four birds present per pond.”

These shrimp have a translucent shell that the animal’s entire body can be encased in the event it feels threatened.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Harvard Urges US to Unfreeze Funds for Public Health Research
Businessman Mauled by Lion at Luxury Namibian Lodge
Researchers Consider New Destinations Beyond the U.S.
53-Year-Old Doctor Claims Biological Age of 23
Trump Struggles to Secure Trade Deals With China and Europe
Russia to Return 6,000 Corpses Under Ukraine Prisoner Swap Deal
Microsoft Lays Off Hundreds More Amid Restructuring
Harvey Weinstein’s Publicist Embraces Notoriety
Macron and Meloni Seek Unity Despite Tensions
Trump Administration Accused of Obstructing Deportation Cases
Newark Mayor Sues Over Arrest at Immigration Facility
Center-Left Candidate Projected to Win South Korean Presidency
Trump’s Tariffs Predicted to Stall Global Economic Growth
South Korea’s President-Elect Expected to Take Softer Line on Trump and North Korea
Trump’s China Strategy Remains a Geopolitical Puzzle
Ukraine Executes Long-Range Drone Strikes on Russian Airbases
Conservative Karol Nawrocki wins Poland’s presidential election
Study Identifies Potential Radicalization Risk Among Over One Million Muslims in Germany
Good news: Annalena Baerbock Elected President of the UN General Assembly
Apple Appeals EU Law Over User Data Sharing Requirements
South Africa: "First Black Bank" Collapses after Being Looted by Owners
Poland will now withdraw from the EU migration pact after pro-Trump nationalist wins Election
"That's Disgusting, Don’t Say It Again": The Trump Joke That Made the President Boil
Trump Cancels NASA Nominee Over Democratic Donations
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OnlyFans for Sale: From Lockdown Lifeline to Eight-Billion-Dollar Empire
Mayor’s Security Officer Implicated | Shocking New Details Emerge in NYC Kidnapping Case
Hegseth Warns of Potential Chinese Military Action Against Taiwan
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Jamie Dimon Warns U.S. Bond Market Faces Pressure from Rising Debt
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Taylor Swift Gains Ownership of Her First Six Albums
Bangkok Ranked World's Top City for Remote Work in 2025
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
U.S. Justice Department Reduces American Bar Association's Role in Judicial Nominations
U.S. Department of Energy Unveils 'Doudna' Supercomputer to Advance AI Research
U.S. SEC Dismisses Lawsuit Against Binance Amid Regulatory Shift
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
×