| Neomysis americana | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Crustacea |
| Class: | Malacostraca |
| Order: | Mysida |
| Family: | Mysidae |
| Genus: | Neomysis |
| Species: | N. americana |
| Binomial name | |
| Neomysis americana (S. I. Smith, 1873) [1] |
|
| Synonyms [1] | |
|
Mysis americana Smith, 1873 |
|
Neomysis americana is an "extremely common"[2] species of opossum shrimp along the Atlantic coast of North and South America. The species has a disjunct distribution, being present in an area extending from the Saint Lawrence River to Florida, and separately in parts of Argentina (Blanca Bay, Anegada Bay and Samborombón Bay).[2] There may be a further division within the North American populations between those north of Cape Henry, Virginia (including Georges Bank) and those from North Carolina southwards.[3] N. americana is an important prey item for a number of fish species, including the Atlantic silverside, the bluefish and the windowpane flounder, Scophthalmus aquosus.[4] Adults typically have a carapace length of 2.5–4 millimetres (0.10–0.16 in).[3]