unidentified aquatic invertebrate - Polyphemus pediculus

Moved

… Eric Moody, 20 November, 2009 - 7:38pm

any more info

I'm curious as to where exactly you found this, how you caught it, etc. I'd like to try to figure out what exactly we're looking at.

… Eric Moody, 19 November, 2009 - 6:49pm

swamp critter

I collected this from the swamp behind my house, by dipping a bucket in the water, then carefully sorting through all the tiny things moving around.

… tom murray, 20 November, 2009 - 12:18pm

i think i've got it

This one was really puzzling because of the angle of the picture, but I am relatively sure this is Polyphemus pediculus, a Cladoceran. It is definitely not a nauplius. I think what we're looking at is the large eye on the bottom (these are visual predators), and the reddish colored area at the top looks to be the brood pouch (the black spots would be the eyes of the young inside).

I'm going to place it on that page for now. If you had a better view of what this critter looked like, you might want to compare to images of Polyphemus online to confirm it.

… Eric Moody, 20 November, 2009 - 7:36pm

Here

http://cfb.unh.edu/cfbkey/html/Organisms/CCladocera/FPolyphmedidae/GPolyphemus/polyphemus_pediculus/polyphemuspediculus.html

… John R. Maxwell, 20 November, 2009 - 9:40pm

Moved

Moved from Bug-like Creatures Not Covered By BugGuide.

… Charley Eiseman, 9 November, 2009 - 1:24am

Nauplius

Looks like the nauplius larva of some crustacean, based on the large, biramous second antennae, which are used to propel the organism through the water (in very much the same way as Cladocerans). My guess would be some sort of Cladoceran.

… Stephen Luk, 23 May, 2008 - 1:20pm

Hmmmm...

Which end is which? Is that one of those "if you have to ask..." questions?

… John R. Maxwell, 23 May, 2008 - 9:42am

My guess

I think the bottom of the picture is the head. I believe it's back is showing, but don't know for sure if it's belly up or not.

… tom murray, 23 May, 2008 - 9:51am