Fairy Shrimp

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Arthropoda

Subphylum: Crustacea

Class: Branchiopoda

Order: Anostraca

These tiny translucent crustaceans have 11 pairs of appendages that are attached to their many body segments. These appendages are very multifunctional and not only do they act as gills to allow them to breathe; they also serve a purpose in locomotion and feeding. As the appendages wave around, they propel the fairy shrimp through the water (upside-down!) and help to filter feed. Fairy shrimp are very short lived but thrive in ephemeral ponds. The virtue of an ephemeral pond is that it is seasonal and will dry up for part of the year, making it inhospitable to potential predators like fish. Fairy shrimp mature quickly within a few weeks and lay their eggs in the ponds. These eggs are very hardy and able to survive as the ephemeral ponds dry up, only to hatch and begin the cycle again once the ponds fill up again.