Bamboo shrimp rediscovered after 7 decades in Karnataka

After more than 70 years, a team of researchers has rediscovered a rare bamboo shrimp species on mainland India, including in an estuary in Karnataka, conclusively establishing for the first time the presence of the freshwater species in the country.

The research team from the Centre for Climate Change Studies at Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, included noted shrimp biologist Dr S Prakash, PhD scholar K Kunjulakshmi and Mangaluru-based Maclean Antony Santos.

Together, they conducted extensive field surveys, ecological assessments and detailed laboratory analyses to validate the identity of the elusive species Atyopsis spinipes. The discovery has been published in the Zootaxa journal.

Until now, the bamboo shrimp’s presence in India remained uncertain because no verified specimens had been recorded since a 1951 report, which lacked strong morphological evidence.

The species has now been documented from two locations — Mulki-Pavanje estuary in Mulki, Karnataka, and Kuakhai River in Bhubaneswar, Odisha — bringing clarity to a taxonomic confusion that persisted for decades.

The confirmation not only updates the country’s freshwater biodiversity records but also underscores the need for systematic surveys and genetic validation to avoid misidentifications that can hinder conservation efforts, the researchers said.

Speaking to DH, senior researcher Prakash said the team used an integrative approach, combining traditional morphological examination with DNA-based identification. This method enabled Kunjulakshmi to resolve the long-standing confusion surrounding India’s native freshwater shrimp. 

Santos elaborated that the study settles a major uncertainty regarding the presence of the genus atyopsis in mainland India. “The original 1951 report mentioned Atyopsis moluccensis (another species in the atyopsis genus), but lacked detailed morphological validation. Its absence in subsequent records led many to doubt whether the genus was ever part of India’s freshwater systems,” he said.

The current findings, supported by both morphology and DNA sequencing, confirm that the species rediscovered is Atyopsis spinipes, not Atyopsis moluccensis. The two species are distinguishable based on the shape and armature of the rostrum and the proportions of the male’s first pleopod.

The search for the bamboo shrimp began in 2022 after an aquarium hobbyist in Odisha reported sighting a mature individual. Although the shrimp died before scientists could examine it, the sighting renewed interest and prompted the team to start systematic field investigations across Udupi, Karwar, and Mangaluru — regions where rivers have a mix of tidal and freshwater characteristics.

During the surveys, the team collected four female specimens from a waterbody in Mulki and an additional sample in Odisha. DNA analysis showed that specimens from both states belonged to the same species. Furthermore, reexamination of historical specimens labelled as Atyopsis moluccensis from the Andaman Islands stored in Zoological survey of India, Kolkata, showed they were mislabelled and they too belonged to Atyopsis spinipes.

All collected specimens from the study have now been deposited at the National Zoological Collections of the Southern Regional Centre, Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), Chennai, for future reference, said Santos.

Kunjulakshmi said the rediscovery highlights how many freshwater species in India may remain undocumented, especially at a time when rivers and wetlands face growing threats from pollution, sand mining, bridge construction and habitat degradation.

“We believe Atyopsis spinipes exists in very small populations and may be vulnerable to environmental disturbances,” she added. 

Highlights - Confusion cleared
Presence first reported in 1951
Report wrongly mentioned the species as Atyopsis moluccensis, but it lacked evidence
Current discovery establishes presence of bamboo shrimp genus on Indian mainland
Discovered species has been identified as Atyopsis spinipes