THE XERCES SOCIETY FOR INVERTEBRATE CONSERVATION

Aquatic Invertebrates in Pacific Northwest Freshwater Wetlands
An Identification Guide and Educational Resource

Clam shrimp are found in exclusively freshwater seasonal wetlands. The adults mate before the wetland dries up, then lay their cysts in the mud. The cysts are able to withstand the dry summer buried in the mud. When the wetlands fill with water again, the cysts rehydrate and hatch into clam shrimp larvae. This is a characteristic of many Branchiopods.

Conchostracans are mostly benthic, digging through mud for macro-invertebrates, algae, and other plankton.

For more information about Conchostraca and some beautiful images, visit the following external link: http://www.sacsplash.org/critters/clamshrimp.htm