May 15th, 2011

This little critter is a “fairy shrimp.” It is a tiny crustacean – related to crabs and crayfish – but it has no outer carapace or shell. If you were touch it it would feel like jelly!! Fairy Shrimp inhabit vernal, or temporary, meltwater ponds and pools. They live only a short time, mate, and leave dormant eggs behind for the following spring.
Fairy shrimp have bulging compound eyes, and swim “upside down”. There are 11 pairs of swimming legs that beat in a wave-like motion. These legs also filter food and oxygen from the water. This individual was collected as part of a Grade 7 Aquatic Ecology class at the Blair OEEC a few weeks ago.
If you look carefully you can see the activity of a number of other tiny organisms in the pan such as daphnia, cyclops and ostracods that we observe under the microscope. Makes ecology look kinda fun, doesn’t it?

[vimeo http://www.vimeo.com/23775820 w=400&h=300]

Fairy shrimp from peter rasberry on Vimeo.