Bythotrephes longimanus


History
- Spiny water flea was first found in North America in 1984 in Lake Huron
Characteristics
- Small predatory crustacean
- Grows up to 0.6 in (15 mm) long
- Long, straight tail spine is twice as long as body
Habitat
- Estuaries, lakes, wetlands
- Upper water column of large and small temperate lakes
- Can tolerate brackish water
- Limited to regions where water temperature is 40-86 degrees F and salinity is 0.04-8.0%
Known Distribution in the Northeast
- New York and Great Lakes region
- 2014 discovered in Lake Champlain (NY & VT)
- Native to Europe and Asia
Impacts
- Competes directly for prey with juvenile and small fish; implicated as a factor in decline of alewife
- Substantial impact on zooplankton community structure
- Can foul fishing lines and downrigger cables