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Photo#1113444
Sand Flea - Americorchestia longicornis

Sand Flea - Americorchestia longicornis
Huntingtown/Plum Point Beach, Calvert County, Maryland, USA
August 1, 2015
Size: about one inch
These were all over the beach at sunrise. Probably an amphipod but any idea of what species? Hopefully the photo will have the details necessary to speciate.

Moved
Moved from Beach Hoppers. Somewhat tentative move.

Moved
Moved from Amphipods. Given length and coloration of second pair of antennae, the ratio between the segments of the second antennal peduncle segments, and the relative length of the first pair (extending to the joint between the second and third segments of the peduncle), I'd call this Americorchestia longicornis, common on beaches in the northeast and mid-Atlantic. However, I don't know whether there are lookalikes in your location (I only know New England amphipods), so I won't yet move this to species. I'll see if I can determine species soon. In the future (though in this case it happens to be unnecessary), it's a good idea to get a picture from the side for amphipods with enough detail to show the various segments (coxal plates, pereonites, etc., the more detail the better). Most important, though, is a great perpendicular view of the antennae, which you have here. Talitrids are easy to recognize by their habitat and antennae but most other amphipods are hard to get even to family without a great view of the antennae or to species without a great side view.

Americorchestia longicornis (and talitrids in general) burrows into sand or hides under seaweed or driftwood in the early morning, emerging at night to feed on detritus.

Moved for expert attention
Moved from ID Request.

Talitridae, perhaps?

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