Approximately 150 freshwater species in North America
| Phylum: | Arthropoda (Subphylum Crustacea) |
| Class: | Malacostraca |
| Order: | Amphipoda |
| Family: |
Identification Tips:
• Shrimp-like body form
• Typically swim rapidly on their sides
• Body flattened side-to-side
• Can be various colours
• Body segments grouped into three regions
• 2 pair of antennae, of approximately equal length
• 7 pair of legs on thorax
• 6 pair of smaller appendages on abdomen
Life History:
• Live in all types of permanent freshwater habitats, most commonly at shallow depths
• Most are nocturnal
• Feed primarily on plant or animal detritus, algae, fungi and bacteria
• Breathe using gills at base of legs
• Most live for 1 year or less
• Important food source for fish, birds and amphibians
• Females brood eggs in a pouch and release hatched young when they shed their skin to grow
| POLLUTION TOLERANCE | ||||
| Very Sensitive | Somewhat Sensitive | Facultative | Somewhat Tolerant | Very Tolerant |
| Some | Most | |||
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Primary Information Source:
Voshell, J. Reese. 2002. A Guide to Common Freshwater Invertebrates of North America. McDonald and Woodward Publishing Company. Blacksburg, Virginia.
