These ancient crustaceans are small in size but have a robust history.
A colony of prehistoric triopods, a tadpole shrimp that has been around for lots of of thousands and thousands of years, was recently captured beautifully by Arizona tourist Adar Leibovitch.
A 29-year-old computer engineer from Israel spotted a so-called “living fossil” in the iconic Wave rock formation that straddles the Utah state border with the Grand Canyon state.
The fossil record shows that triopes evolved when the earth was dominated by the former supercontinent Gondwana, which formed in the late Neoproterozoic epoch, about 550 million years ago – and now spans present-day South America, Africa, East Asia, Australia and Antarctica.
“These cool little creatures are called Triops, also generally known as living fossil,” Leibovitch told Viral Press in a commentary on his popular photos. “This creature is one of the oldest creatures still walking amongst us.”
Often found in shallow, rain-soaked bodies of water, the genus Triops is one of only two living members (together with Lepidurus) of the order Notostraca, although some may recognize these creatures as “aquasaurs”, sold as kits at pet stores. That is because their eggs may be dried once they go dormant – making them ideal for transportation – they usually only hatch once they come in contact with the correct amount of fresh water.
“They will lay eggs, and only until the baby Triops knows it’s protected to exit, or until he touches water where the eggs can hatch,” Leibovitch explained of his rare find. “An egg can sit there for nine years before it hatches.”
![Triops photographed in the Arizona canyon](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/12/fossils-89.jpg?w=1024)
And they are not just pet store food: Triops are considered human allies against the West Nile virus, thanks to their food regimen of Culex mosquito larvae. Rigorously moderated populations of triops are also used for pest control in Japan, where they eat weeds around rice crops.
As well as to the unique tail tip or telson and shield-like body, tripopes are also distinguished by their third eye. Hence the name referring to the Greek trioswhich implies “three” and ops, which implies “eye”.
Leibovitch recently moved to the US after taking over touring work after which plans to spend some time in Europe.
“Since I used to be a baby, there was a map of the world hanging above my bed, and each time I got here home from school, I might stare at it for a protracted time, studying every crevice, every bay, lake, ocean, mountain and country,” recalled the born explorer.