Eubranchipus bundyi

Irving P.
Jul 29, 2024
2 min read

Updated: Aug 31

Taxonomy and Classification

• Phylum: Arthropoda

• Class: Branchiopoda

• Order: Anostraca

• Family: Chirocephalidae

• Genus: Eubranchipus

• Species: E. bundyi

• Authority: Forbes, 1876

Eubranchipus bundyi, commonly known as the knobbed-lip fairy shrimp, belongs to the order Anostraca and the family Chirocephalidae. This species is among the most widespread fairy shrimp in northern North America, thriving in ephemeral freshwater wetlands, particularly vernal pools and seasonal depressions that form in spring and late winter. E. bundyi typically inhabits clear, cool to cold waters with neutral to slightly acidic pH, often surrounded by vegetated landscapes such as forested or meadow environments. The distribution of E. bundyi spans a broad swath of Canada and the northern United States, with documented populations in Alaska, Yukon, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, and extending southward into New York, Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, Indiana, and Wyoming. Additional records include New Hampshire, Vermont, Illinois, Minnesota, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Utah, with isolated populations in Washington and Oregon

The characteristics outlined below may exhibit variations influenced by environmental conditions, population dynamics, and the organism's age.

IDENTIFIABLE TRAITS OF THIS SPECIES

Male Second Antenna:

Eubranchipus is a Holarctic genus of fairy shrimp distinguished by a combination of sexually dimorphic traits and reproductive structures that facilitate species-level identification. Males exhibit prominent modifications of the second antennae, which are typically flattened, lobed, or paddle-like, and often bear distal expansions or setae used for clasping females during copulation. The frontal appendages, arising medially from the head, are generally bifurcated or branched, and vary in length and complexity across species, serving as additional diagnostic characters.

Female Brood Pouch:

Females are identified by the morphology of the brood pouch, which is ventrally located and may be elongate, sac-like, or lobed depending on the species. The lateral lobes flanking the brood pouch also vary in shape and ornamentation, contributing to interspecific differentiation. These reproductive structures are evolutionarily conserved and play a critical role in species recognition and mating compatibility.