Fairy shrimp  (Chirocephalus diaphanus)

Learn about the scientific name of this species and how it fits into the tree of life at Nature Navigator.

Biology

The fairy shrimp has been found throughout the year, and has even been found in ice-covered water (3). It feeds on microscopic animals and organic particles, which are either taken from the water with the legs or scraped from the bottom of the pond (3). It has an extremely fast life-cycle, and fairy shrimp eggs are able to survive when the temporary pond habitat dries out; when they become wet once more they hatch, but some eggs remain dormant so that if conditions quickly deteriorate again, some eggs will survive (3). Various animals, including ponies, deer and cattle disperse the eggs from pool to pool (3).

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