Amphipoda
From Free net encyclopedia
{{Taxobox | color = pink | name = Amphipoda | image = hyperia.jpg | image_width = 250px | image_caption = A hyperiid amphipod (Hyperia macrocephala) | regnum = Animalia | phylum = Arthropoda | subphylum = Crustacea | classis = Malacostraca | ordo = Amphipoda | ordo_authority = Latreille, 1816 | subdivision_ranks = Sub-orders | subdivision =
}} Amphipoda (amphipods) include over 7000 described species of small, shrimp-like crustaceans. Most amphipods are marine, although a few live in freshwater or are terrestrial. Marine amphipods belong to two major communities, the pelagic (living in the water column) and the benthic (living on the ocean bottom). Pelagic amphipods are eaten by seabirds, fish and marine mammals, and benthic amphipods are the primary food of Gray whales. A few species are even symbiotic, living in association with jellyfish. One species common to mid-Atlantic and estuarine waters is Jassa falcata.
Gammaracanthuskytodermogammarus loricatobaicalensis claims to be the longest binomial name. It was proposed by B. Dybowski for an amphipod from Lake Baikal; it was later invalidated by the ICZN.
External links
- Amphipoda page at www.crustacea.net includes a list of families
- The Amphipod Home Page
- A database of amphipod literature
Template:Crustacean-stubda:Tanglopper de:Flohkrebse fr:Amphipoda lt:Šoniplaukos nl:Vlokreeftjes no:Tanglopper