Artemia salina

Artemia salina, commonly known as brine shrimp, are small crustaceans belonging to the order Anostraca. These tiny creatures, measuring up to 15 mm (0.6 inches) in length, inhabit highly saline environments like brine pools and inland waters worldwide.1

Brine shrimp possess a distinct head with a larval eye and compound eyes, a thorax with leaflike limbs, and a slender abdomen. They typically swim upside down, using rhythmic leg movements. Their diet consists mainly of green algae, which they filter from the water. Brine shrimp are also a food source for various animals, including birds, fish, and other crustaceans.1

The species Artemia salina is found in large numbers in the Great Salt Lake, Utah, and is commercially significant. Hatched from dried eggs, young brine shrimp are widely used as food for aquarium fish and other small animals.1