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Guide to New Zealand's freshwater invertebrates
Seed shrimps
(
Ostracoda
: Ostracoda
)
Diagnostic features
Ostracods are small (less than 3mm long) swimming crustaceans that resemble small seeds. The entire body is contained within a bivalved carapace, much like a tiny mussel shell. The carapace is often pale or green. Sometimes the legs and antennae are seen protruding out beyond the valves of the carapace.
Typical habitats
Ostracods are generally found in slow flowing or stagnant waters, where they typically hover over or amongst the bottom sediments.
Feeding
Ostracods are scavengers, feeding on any fine animal or plant matter they can stir up from soft sediments.
Indicator value
Ostracods are associated with pond-like or slow-flowing habitats. Their occurrence in sewage treatment ponds suggests some species can tolerate poor water quality conditions. They have been assigned tolerance values of 3 (hard bottom sites) and 1.9 (soft bottom sites).
