Brine Shrimp and Fairy Shrimp
Order Anostraca
The Brine Shrimp and Fairy Shrimp (Order Anostraca) includes 8 species across 4 families and 5 genera in our directory.
About Brine Shrimp and Fairy Shrimp
Anostraca (fairy shrimp and brine shrimp) includes ~300 described species. Brine shrimp (Artemia) eggs can survive complete desiccation for decades - NASA has even hatched them after spaceflight exposure.
Economic Impact
Brine shrimp are a $1.6 billion industry - their eggs (cysts) are harvested from the Great Salt Lake in Utah and sold worldwide as fish food in aquaculture. Sea-Monkeys, the iconic toy, are actually brine shrimp (Artemia).
Ecological Role
Fairy shrimp inhabit temporary pools that fill with seasonal rains. Their drought-resistant eggs can remain viable in dry soil for 10-20 years, hatching when conditions are right. They are critical food sources for migratory waterbirds.
Families in Anostraca (4)
Species in Anostraca (8)
Ethologist Fairy Shrimp
Eubranchipus serratus
Eubranchipus serratus, the ethologist fairy shrimp, is a species of branchiopod in the family Chirocephalidae. It is found in North America.
Knobbedlip Fairy Shrimp
Eubranchipus bundyi
Eubranchipus bundyi, the knobbedlip fairy shrimp, is a species of fairy shrimp in the genus Eubranchipus. It is the most common species of fairy shrimp throughout much of its northern North American range.
Mono Lake Brine Shrimp
Artemia monica
The Mono Lake brine shrimp (Artemia monica) is a species of brine shrimp, native to Mono Lake, in California.
Oregon Fairy Shrimp
Eubranchipus oregonus
Found only in vernal pools, at risk and endangered in many regions, eggs can lie dormant through drought, and are thought to be dispersed by waterfowl.
San Francisco Brine Shrimp
Artemia franciscana
Artemia franciscana is a species of brine shrimp endemic to the Americas but now widely introduced throughout the tropics and temperate zones worldwide.
Spinytail Fairy Shrimp
Streptocephalus sealii
Identification: Detailed descriptions, photomicrographs, and key to species Updated key to species
Springtime Fairy Shrimp
Eubranchipus vernalis
Eubranchipus vernalis, known generally as the eastern fairy shrimp or springtime fairy shrimp, is a species of brine shrimp or fairy shrimp in the family Chirocephalidae. It is found in North America.
Dendrocephalus proeliator
Dendrocephalus proeliator