Has anyone ever seen or heard of Tadpole Shrimp?

[Aquila]

I know of triops but nothing specifically to what species are native in NZ. I wouldn't bother researching it just to use to culture and feed fish though. Probably not worth the hassle when so many other critters are already available.

All I could find on the topic in NZ is:

Maddison, P. A.; Crosby, T. K. 2009. Summary of plant-animal associations from “Maddison (1993) Pests and other fauna associated with plants, with botanical accounts of plants. Technical report. UNDP/FAO-SPEC Survey of Agricultural Pests and Diseases in the South Pacific, vol. 3. Auckland : Manaaki Whenua B Landcare Research.” File downloaded from http://nzac.landcareresearch.co.nz/

Family :

TRIOPSIDAE - Tadpole Shrimps

Triops cancriformis (Bosc) - `Tadpole Shrimp'

*Triops granarius (Lucas) - Tadpole Shrimp

>*Triops longicaudatus (Le Conte) - Brine Shrimp

and

Maddison, P. A. (1993) UNDP/FAO-SPEC Survey of Agricultural Pests and Diseases

in the South Pacific, Technical report. Vol. 3. Pests and other fauna associated with

plants, with botanical accounts of plants. Auckland : Manaaki Whenua B Landcare

Research. [File downloaded from http://nzac.landcareresearch.co.nz/]

Class : CRUSTACEA

Order : NOTOSTRACA

Family : TRIOPSIDAE - Tadpole Shrimps

>Triops cancriformis (Bosc) - "Tadpole Shrimp"

Feeds on shoots and roots of young plants Asia, Europe, North Africa

(#0023,#1231,#2289,#5081)

>*Triops granarius (Lucas) - Tadpole Shrimp

Can severely damage young seedlings Africa, Asia

(#0023,#1231,#2289,#3117)

>*Triops longicaudatus (Le Conte) - Brine Shrimp

Feeds on young seedlings and can uproot them; leaves are chewed off

Americas, some Pacific Islands, West Indies

(#0023,#1231,#2289,#2364,#3117,#3460,#7293)

>*Triops spp. - Brine or Tadpole Shrimps

Damage seedlings, etc. Widespread]

(#1231,#2289,#3117,#5081)

>Family, Gen. et spp. indet. - Fairy Shrimps

Damage seedlings,etc.)

(#1231)