Categories
CrustaceansTags
Aquatic BugsIdentification Request: found on Malibu Beach, Southern Califonia
Location: Malibu, California
July 23, 2010 5:33 pm
These were collected at night the week of the 4th of July by my teenage son on the beach in Malibu, California. They are shown in a regular five gallon bucket and are about an inch long excluding antenna.
During the day I noticed similar looking, but much smaller, bugs jumping on the sand. The color camouflages them well. The small ones were far too fast for me to photograph.
Attached, a small photo. High res one (URL may change):
Signature:
Eli the Bearded
Marine Amphipods
Hi Eli the Bearded,
Good name. These are some type of Crustacean. We believe they are Marine Isopods, but we cannot find a matching photo online. Perhaps our readership can assist.
Marine Amphipods
Karl makes a Correction
These look like marine amphopods (Amphipoda), specifically beachhoppers (Amphipoda: Talitridae). They are probably Megalorchestia californiana, California Beach Fleas (aka: California Sand Fleas, California Beach Hoppers, Long-horned Beach Hoppers), or perhaps another closely related species. K
http://www.wallawalla.edu/academics/departments/biology/rosario/inverts/Arthropoda/Crustacea/Malacostraca/Eumalacostraca/Peracarida/Amphipoda/Gammaridea/Talitridae/Megalorchestia_californiana.html
I like ThisRelated Posts
-
(01/19/2008)Marine Isopod: Sea Slater -
(01/18/2006)Marine Isopod: Beach Cockroach -
(01/30/2007)Marine Isopod from Japan -
(11/17/2010)Marine Isopod from Australia
Comments 4
These look like marine amphopods (Amphipoda), specifically beachhoppers (Amphipoda: Talitridae). They are probably Megalorchestia californiana, California Beach Fleas (aka: California Sand Fleas, California Beach Hoppers, Long-horned Beach Hoppers), or perhaps another closely related species. K
http://www.wallawalla.edu/academics/departments/biology/rosario/inverts/Arthropoda/Crustacea/Malacostraca/Eumalacostraca/Peracarida/Amphipoda/Gammaridea/Talitridae/Megalorchestia_californiana.html
Posted 23 Jul 2010 at 7:25 pm ¶Yeah, I’ve heard these things called “sandhoppers.”
Posted 23 Jul 2010 at 8:53 pm ¶Thanks for the information Lula.
Posted 23 Jul 2010 at 9:15 pm ¶Thanks for the identification.
Posted 25 Jul 2010 at 12:44 pm ¶Notify me of followup comments via e-mail. You can also subscribe without commenting.
Post a Comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.