Ohio Vernal Pool Partnership - Creature Feature: Fairy Shrimp

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Creature Feature

Macroinvertebrates and crustaceans

Fairy Shrimp Macroinvertebrates are invertebrates that you can see without magnification. They are animals that do not have a backbone. There are thousands of species of macroinvertebrates that live in vernal pools. A key role they play is to break down the leaf litter (detritus), eat algae, and bacteria.

Some macroinvertebrates live near the bottom of the pool (amphipod), while others navigate the water column up and down (phantom midge). Other animals that are crustaceans, such as the fairy shrimp, swim freely throughout the pool. Crustaceans and macroinvertebrates are key to the overall health of the vernal pool. They break down plant matter and are preyed upon by amphibians. Below is a list of macroinvertebrates and crustaceans you may find in a vernal pool (list is not exhaustive):

Backswimmer
Water boatman
Water scorpion
Giant water bug
Water strider
Fishfly
Chironomid midge
Fairy shrimp
crayfish
Predaceous diving beetle
Scavenger beetle
Phantom midge
Mosquito
Springtails
Water mites
Amphipod
Isopod
Copepod
Daphnia
Aquatic worm

Watch macroinvertebrates and crustaceans in action!.

Archived creature features:
Fairy Shrimp
Spotted Salamander
Gray Tree Frog

http://OVPP.org/CreatureFeature.html