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，在未获取该沼虾行为学实证的前提下，将当地体型最大的甲壳类栖息物种——盲栖长臂虾科（Palaemonidae）沼虾 *Creaseria morleyi*（Creaser, 1936），归类为食腐动物与捕食者。本研究首次记述了*C. morleyi*的捕食行为，验证了其捕食者的分类定位。本研究通过体外（in vitro）与原位（in situ）观测实验，以包括匙指虾科（Atyidae）盲虾属（*Typhlatya* sp.）在内的多种生物作为捕食目标，证实了*C. morleyi*兼具捕食与腐食两种摄食行为。扫描电子显微镜（Scanning Electron Microscope, SEM）图像显示，该沼虾的第一触角与第二触角结构或与其猎物探测功能相关。研究结果表明，*C. morleyi*具备捕食多种猎物的能力，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*C. morleyi*摄食策略的观测结果显示，处于特定体型范围的所有动物均可成为其潜在猎物，甚至包括同类个体；这一发现支持了如下假说：该物种在生命早期阶段会优先加快生长，以达到可规避捕食风险的体型阈值。本研究的观测结果揭示了捕食者在无光、寡营养的洞穴环境中生存繁衍所需的部分适应性特征。