Unidentified little beach creatures

Suzanne B · #1 (**permalink**) 13-04-2009, 09:57 AM

When we were at the beach yesterday we came across lots of these little creatures.
They were all buried in the sand near a wall, so not very close to the sea. We must have disturbed them with our feet, and when we did they jumped continuously away from us and then buried themselves back in the sand.
They were all various sizes and the biggest one we saw was approx 8mm ish.
Any ideas what they are?

Thanks

paul m · #2 (**permalink**) 13-04-2009, 10:31 AM

I think it's Ligia oceanica, sea skater:
Ligia oceanica - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sea slater - Ligia oceanica - ARKive

An isopod crustacean related to woodlice.

Suzanne B · #3 (**permalink**) 14-04-2009, 12:44 PM

Thanks Paul.

Yes, they do have a woodlicey look now you mention it. At the time they just looked like some type of shrimp to me but thought they weren't quite in the right place for that. I think it was the seethroughness of them that confused me

There doesn't seem to be much information on the internet about sea skaters that I could find, just the links you gave which were the most helpful.

Thanks
Suzanne

Pudding4brains · #4 (**permalink**) 16-04-2009, 10:07 AM

Howdy,

I'm afraid Suzanne wasn't too much off with her first impression of "shrimp like". We call these "Strandvlo" (Beach flea) - Talitridae - Wikipedia seems to think you call them Sand hopper, but that may well be American English(?)

They're some of the rare Amphipod Crustacean that can be found semi-terrestrial on shores etc. Some even have made it as far as living mostly on land, I think one or two species can even be found in gardens, but if I'm informed correctly these will still need a puddle or water of some sort te reproduce (unlike woodlice).

The one found on sea shores could very well be Talitrus saltator, but that's not an ID - I don't know the first thing about these except that I find them often when hunting for littoral woodlice (such as the Ligia suggested by Paul).

The Sea Slater (not skater - maybe why you had trouble finding info?) is much larger (or at least adults are - up to 3cm) and is flattened dorsally, whereas these "beach shrimps" are flattened laterally.

Here is Ligia oceanica:

Suzanne B · #5 (**permalink**) 17-04-2009, 07:50 PM

Hi Arp and thanks for the ID.

After looking at images on google and having a look round for info they are definately the same as the ones I saw.
At the time my son said they were like fleas but I just laughed as I didn't think such things as beach fleas existed.....silly me.

Anyway, that's something else I've learnt today!
Thanks
Suzanne.