Hobbies And Interests
Physical Characteristics
Adult brine shrimp range from about 0.3 inches to 0.6 inches in length. The body has 19 to 20 trunk segments. The first 11 trunk segments have 11 pairs of appendages called phyllopodia that function as paddles for movement through the water. The phyllopodia undulate in a regular rhythm. A pair of long tail filaments extend from the last body segment. The color of adult brine shrimp is pink, whitish, green or transparent. Compound eyes at the end of stalks are found on the head, along with two pairs of antennae and a set of mandibles, also known as the creature's jaws.
Feeding Behavior
Brine shrimp feed on green algae. According to Animal Diversity Web, "They obtain food by either filtering small particles with fine slender spines on the legs as they swim or by grazing on bottom mud and scraping algae off rocks with quick movements of their appendages." Once the food is captured, a feeding current brings it to the mouth, using the rhythm of the phyllopodia for guidance.
Reproductive Behavior
During mating, a male brine shrimp grips a female with his antennae and fertilizes her eggs. A female's first group of young are born alive in a brood sac. She lays a second batch of eggs that are thick-shelled and not technically alive, since all metabolic activity is suspended. These eggs can remain viable for 10 or more years, even in extremely dry conditions, such as desert terrain.
Swimming Behavior
The brine shrimp swims upside down, which is unusual for aquatic creatures. This occurs because brine shrimp are attracted to light and prefer to face the sun. Because of this behavior, they move toward the water's surface in the day and sink back down when night approaches. However, if the light is excessively bright, brine shrimp will display the opposite behavior and move away from it.