Three-eyed ‘dinosaur shrimp’ waking up in desert after Burning Man flooding

Three-eyed “dinosaur shrimp” that have laid dormant in the dry desert conditions are now waking up for the first time in years.

Triops and fair shrimp, often called “dinosaur shrimp”, lay their eggs deep in the ground to lay in wait for wet weather to bring them to the surface.

According to experts, the small crustaceans can survive laying dormant in drought conditions for years.

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After the recent flooding which brought a drastic end to the infamous Burning Man Festival in the Nevada desert, US – the creatures are stirring.

The Independent reported that Triops are relatives of the oldest living creatures.

Triops cancriformis have two main eyes and a pit organ “third eye” which allows the creatures to detect changes in light and infrared waves.

Fairy shrimp, also known as sea monkeys, have also resurfaced.

Both of these crustaceans have surfaced due to the two to three months’ worth of rain that has poured down over the Burning Man festival over the weekend.

This put approximately 70,000 festivalgoers into disarray as they were forced to take shelter on the desert floor.

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The ground turned into thick clay-like mud, making it impossible for vehicles to get through, and leaving the roads closed until the storms ceased.

The crustaceans will live for weeks or months and will die as the water dries up from the desert ground again.

But before they die they will lay eggs, which will stay dormant underground for years, until the next round of storms and floods.

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