Syncaris Pacifica - Habitat and Behavior

Habitat and Behavior

California freshwater shrimp prefer streams that have water flowing year round with predominately low gradient flows. In the summer months with little precipitation and surface runoff the flow rates can be very low with larger pools but they characteristically transport heavy runoff during the rainy winter season.

As a slow moving species S. pacifica feeds on decomposing vegetation and other detritus, consuming minute diverse particles conveyed by currents to downstream pools. As the water slows, the particles are filtered by the fine network of exposed roots from trees, such as from willows and alders. The California freshwater shrimp merely brush up the food with tufts at the tips of their small claws, and lift to their mouths the collected morsels. Colonized by algae, bacteria, fungi, and microscopic animals, the particle agglomerates are quite nutritious. Although most species of shrimp walk slowly about the roots as they feed, S. pacitica will undertake short swimming bursts to obtain particularly desirable items.

Breeding occurs once per annum during the autumn. Adults attain sexual maturity by the end of their second summer. A female can be expected to generate approximately 50 to 120 eggs per breeding season, which remain attached to the mother for the entire winter. Studies on other family members suggest a lifespan for this species of several years.