Touch Tank:
Four-eyed Amphipod (Family Ampeliscidae)
 |
| A typical four-eyed amphipod.
Courtesy: NOAA |
What
type of habitat do four-eyed amphipods prefer?
Four-eyed amphipods are typically observed in the fine sands of estuaries;
they are very common in the intertidal shallows and nearshore zone, generally
limited to 30 meters in depth.
Where can they be found in the coastal U.S.?
Amphipods are found in the shallow marine waters from Maine to Louisiana and
along the entire U.S. Pacific coast.
What do four-eyed amphipods look like?
Four-eyed amphipods are small, shrimp-like amphipods with multiple pairs of
immobile eyes. Their bodies are flattened laterally, lack a hard outer shell
(carapace), and are typically white with red or purple spots. Many species
construct tubes of fine sand grains approximately 3 centimeters in length
and 2 to 3 millimeters wide. Most of the tube is below the sediment with
approximately 1 centimeter above the surface.
Why are they important benthic species?
Though there is no commercial fishery for amphipods, many species in the family
Ampeliscidae are invaluable food sources for many economically important
fish and invertebrate species, such as flounder and various species of crabs.
They are also important environmental quality indicators, since they are
sensitive to oil pollution and sediment contamination by organic compounds.
Did
you know…?
Due to their sensitivity to pollution, a species of four-eyed amphipod (Ampelisca
abdita) is used by the Environmental Protection Agency in laboratory tests
to evaluate sediment toxicity in estuaries along the U.S. Atlantic coast.
Where can I find more information?
References
Grosse, D.J., G.B. Pauley, and D. Moran. 1986. "Species Profiles: Life
Histories and Environmental Requirements of Coastal Fishes and Invertebrates
(Pacific Northwest): Amphipods." U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Biological
Report 82(11.69). U.S. Army Corps of Engineers TR EL-82-4.
Mills, E.L. 1967. "The Biology of an Ampeliscid Amphipod Crustacean
Sibling Species Pair." Journal Fisheries Research Board of Canada. Volume 24, Number
2. Pages 305 to 355.
Weiss, H.M. 1995. Marine Animals of Southern New England and New York.
State Geological and Natural History Survey of Connecticut. Department
of Environmental Protection.
![[Skip Navigation]](/images/pixel.gif){kind=tracking}
