Talorchestia quoyana
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| Talorchestia quoyana H. Milne-Edwards, 1840 |
Talorchestia quoyana, or the sandhopper, is an amphipod of the family Talitridae, endemic to New Zealand. It is very common along the strandline of sandy beaches, particularly where there is washed up seaweed when sandhoppers are found concentrated underneath, and it is the most common sand-living amphipod in New Zealand. Its length is up to 14 mms.
The sandhopper is brownish grey and flattened from side to side like other amphipods; however it does stand upright, supporting itself by stretching the long hind limbs out sideways. As its common name suggests, it leaps, and does this very well - the body is first flexed then quickly straightened, thrusting the hind limbs and tail against the sand. These same rear appendages are used to clear away the sand as it is pushed aside by the head when burrowing.
The sandhopper moves about the surface during the night; during the day it buries itself in the sand, sometimes up to 30 cms deep (the drier the sand the deeper). Staying buried during the day is essential for the sandhopper - it does not survive long in direct sunshine, and would also be a welcome morsel for any shorebird during the day. They perform an invaluable service by burying and devouring washed up seaweed and other organic material, thereby keeping beaches clean.
[edit] References
- Miller M & Batt G, Reef and Beach Life of New Zealand, William Collins (New Zealand) Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand 1973
