Weekend #Plankton #Factoid 🦠🦐 Bythotrephes longimanus (cederströemi), is called the Spiny Water Flea for obvious reasons. It is an invasive species introduced to #GreatLakes in the 1980s from Europe. They are a large (1.5 cm) and highly predaceous #cladoceran #zooplankton that eat 75% of their weight/d. They peak late in the year to huge densities at times. While they compete with planktivorous fishes, they are also a desired prey for fishes like Alewife and Yellow Perch. https://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/GreatLakes/FactSheet.aspx?Species_ID=162
NOAA National Center for Research on Aquatic Invasive Species (NCRAIS): goal is to foster, coordinate, and support development of aquatic invasive species research throughout and across NOAA.
