Picture-style science disagreement chart
No common ancestor invented
The four papers are not sequential selective-breeding stages. The chart deliberately has no parent arrows. A taxonomic name/synonym is not an inheritable body-color trait.
Eight species or provisional identifications
2024 Japanese survey found native denticulata and ikiensis; introduced davidi, koreana, palmata and aff. palmata; plus potentially cryptic native aff. denticulata and aff. fukiensis. 'Aff.' does not mean a new formally described taxon.
Competing merger proposal and rebuttal
The 2024 Chinese mitogenome study recommends broader synonymy under denticulata. Fuke's 2024 critique challenges the field taxonomy and related SNP/COI interpretation. Cai/Shih's 2025 rebuttal argues davidi and denticulata remain distinguishable with integrated evidence. None supports claiming a definitive commercial strain pedigree.
Ecology and experimental color records
The 2021 background study tested red, brown and white N. davidi morph behavior under light/dark substrates; the 2026 behavioral genetics study raised 1,191 offspring in known family units. Neither established a Cherry, Bloody Mary, Blue Dream or Orange Eye color locus or breeding ratio.
Source-to-claim records
- Shih, Cai, Niwa, Yoshigou & Nakahara (2024), integrative identification of Neocaridina in Kyushu and Honshu
Peer-reviewed original field specimens, morphology and COI. Eight species / provisional lineages detected locally, not aquarium commercial founder certificates
- Yang, Cui, Li, Dong, Kang & Gan (2024), N. davidi–denticulata–heteropoda mitogenome proposal
Peer-reviewed mitogenomic taxonomy hypothesis. Proposal to synonymize under N. denticulata is contested by other taxonomists, and not an official universally resolved species consensus
- Yusuke Fuke (2024) scholarly commentary on Japanese Neocaridina delimitations
Published comment challenging alternative field assignments. A critical interpretation of earlier specimens/markers, not a complete independent reference-wide taxonomic resolution
- Cai & Shih (2025) reply to Fuke, clarifying competing taxonomic interpretations
Peer-reviewed published response, Dec 3 2025. Authors defend distinct N. davidi and N. denticulata using integrated taxonomy; the published exchange documents unresolved disagreement
- National Institute of Genetics record for Fuke, Kunimatsu & Nakajima 2024 Kyushu populations
Japanese research institution summary of specimen-vouchered occurrences. Local distribution and COI haplotypes do not prove every wild-looking or aquarium colony's source locality
- NCBI taxonomy (N. davidi current name, N. heteropoda alternative synonym)
Curated database annotation, not nomenclatural authority. NCBI explicitly warns users to consult taxonomic literature, especially in a contested case
- 2021 N. davidi background color preference controlled trial
Peer-reviewed captive-selected red/brown/white morph comparison. Color variation and backdrop response do not diagnose field taxon or one eye/body-color allele