Orchestia marmorata

Systematics: Amphipoda Family Talitridae

Distinguishing Characters:
Orchestia marmorata is a brown amphipod with a tough exoskeleton, three pairs of very short uropods and dark round eyes. The species grows to 16 mm long.

General Biology:
Talitrid amphipods are often found high on beaches or in moist places on land and this species lives among the rotting seaweed washed up on to the shore in eastern Australia. It is one of the species which become very active when seaweed wrack is disturbed, leaping up into the air with a downward flick of the uropods at the end of the abdomen. They are sometimes called “sand-hoppers”.

Feedback and queries should be sent to the Discovery Centre at Museum Victoria.
Please note, the Discovery Centre can help you only with questions about crustaceans from southeastern Australia. It can not advise on the care of pet hermit crabs or on crustaceans from other regions.