L. apus has one of the greatest ranges of any of the triops being found throughout continental Europe, Northern Africa, and one of only two notostracans found in Australia. Life cycle is typical of the lepidurans with a significant percentage of laid eggs hatching after a few weeks in the water. One of the more controversal of the species as Longhurst originally lumped L. couesii and L. packardii into the species in spite of distinct characters that argued otherwise. Longhurst mentions a South American subspecies L. apus patagonicus but I have found no reference to this Triops anywhere outside of his paper.
Major species
Lepidurus apus
Subspecies
- Lepidurus apus apus
- Lepidurus apus lubbocki
- Lepidurus apus patagonicus
- Lepidurus apus viridis
Range
- Africa (North)
- Asia
- Australia (viridis only)
- Europe
- Austria
- Bosnia
- Croatia
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- France
- Germany
- Herzegovina
- Hungaria
- Italy
- Macedonia
- Morocco
- Scandinavia
- Slovakia
- Spain
- Yugoslavia
- Israel
- New Zealand
- South America (?)
Habitat
Temporary but often longer lasting freshwater pools
Temperature range
Unknown
Body ring/segments
26 – 29; 4 – 6 apodous
Appendages
35 – 48
Notable characters
Round or oval dorsal organ, second maxillae present, no supernumerary spines on apodous segments
Reproduction
Bisexual, Hermaphroditic
- {Living fossil} - Fossil have been found and back to more than 220 million years ago. They are thougt to have been on the planet even longer than that, up to 350 million years
- {Just add water} for watch the prehistoric sea creature egg hatch and come to life
- { Make your own ancient environment }
- {Learn fun facts} from seeing the life cycle of your ancient pets
- { 1 set include } 50 triops eggs in capsule and get free bubble air stone