Data from: Predatory behavior of the cave shrimp Creaseria morleyi (Creaser, 1936) (Caridea: Palaemonidae), the blind hunter of the Yucatán cenotes, Mexico

Recent studies of the trophic structure of the underwater cave ecosystems in the Yucatán Peninsula have regarded the largest crustacean inhabitant, the blind palaemonid shrimp Creaseria morleyi (Creaser, 1936), as a scavenger and predator without any evidence on the behavior of the shrimp. The predatory behavior of C. morleyi is here described for the first time, verifying its classification as a predator. A variety of prey targets, including the atyid shrimp Typhlatya sp., were used to demonstrate predation and saprophagous feeding behavior in C. morleyi using in vitro and in situ observations. Scanning electron microscope images show the structures of the antennules and antennae that could be responsible for prey detection. Findings show that C. morleyi is capable of hunting a variety of prey, most likely depending on their relative size. Observations on the feeding strategy of C. morleyi suggest any animal within a particular size range is a potential prey, including its own species, which suggests the hypothesis that growth may be favored in early stages of life in order to reach a size refuge from predation. These observations provide information of some of the adaptations necessary for a predator to thrive in an aphotic and oligotrophic environment.此前针对尤卡坦半岛水下洞穴生态系统营养结构的相关研究，均将该区域体型最大的甲壳类定居者——盲生长臂虾科（Palaemonidae）克氏盲虾（*Creaseria morleyi*，Creaser, 1936）——归为食腐者与捕食者，但尚未有针对该虾类行为的实证支撑这一分类。本研究首次描述了*Creaseria morleyi*的捕食行为，验证了其作为捕食者的分类定位。本研究通过体外实验（in vitro）与原位观测（in situ），以包括匙指虾科（Atyidae）盲米虾属（*Typhlatya* sp.）物种在内的多种猎物为对象，证实了*Creaseria morleyi*兼具捕食与食腐进食的习性。扫描电子显微镜（Scanning Electron Microscope, SEM）图像显示，该虾的第一触角与第二触角结构或可用于感知猎物。研究结果表明，*Creaseria morleyi*能够捕食多种猎物，其捕食选择大概率取决于猎物与自身的相对体型大小。针对*Creaseria morleyi*进食策略的观测结果显示，任何处于特定体型范围内的动物均可成为其潜在猎物，甚至包括同类个体。这一发现提出了一项假说：该物种在生命早期阶段的生长速率或被自然选择青睐，以使其能快速达到可躲避捕食的体型阈值。上述观测结果为阐明捕食者在无光（aphotic）、贫营养（oligotrophic）的洞穴环境中繁盛生存所需的部分适应性演化特征提供了关键依据。