Savage Shrimp Storm Great Lakes

An invasive Eurasian shrimp has been found in the waters of lake Ontario near Oswego, New York. The latest invader from the Animal Uprising™, of course. The shrimp, known as bloody red mysid, have been found in both adult and juvenile stages of development, indicating that they have been able to establish a population and are breeding. The shrimp are described as "an opportunistic predator. They will eat whatever is available, which means they will be infringing on the food sources for other species".

The discovery of bloody red mysid — whose scientific name is Hemimysis anomala — was made in a lake sample taken near Oswego last spring, said Chuck O'Neill, Jr., an invasive species specialist with New York Sea Grant and a member of New York State's Invasive Species Task Force, on Wednesday.

Its only other confirmed appearance in the Great Lakes region was last November in a channel of Muskegon Lake, which empties into Lake Michigan.

The red mysid is closely related to the possum shrimp that live in the Great Lakes. It is native to the Caspian Sea and Black Sea areas of Eurasia — the same region that sent zebra mussels, quagga mussels and gobies, other invasive species, to the Great Lakes. Like most non-native species in the Great Lakes, the red mysid is presumed to have arrived in the ballast of oceangoing ships.

The shrimp has already been documented in parts of Europe.

The red mysid has "strong potential" to severely affect the lake's food chain, O'Neill said.

Typically, the shrimp feast on phytoplankton and zooplankton, the foundation of the lake's food chain. Zooplankton are also what many young fish thrive on.

Scientists are asking the public to help document the extent of the shrimp's incursion. A fact sheet is being prepared. In the meantime, we here at Blue Crab Boulevard are ever ready to distribute the important facts about the bloody red mysid. Also known as the "mysid vicious". The name "shrimp" is somewhat misleading. They are actually the size of a bus and are attracted to the sound of people splashing in the water. They have been known to devour an entire swimming party in under a minute. When they are hungry enough, they emerge from the water and raid nearby homes for a quick snack.

Did we ever mention that we have a brother-in-law who owns a home on Lake Ontario? Sleep well, Jimmy……..

(Much clearer photo from the long-suffering PDPhoto.org.)