- Orchestia agilis
Taxobox
name=Common sand flea
regnum=Animal ia
phylum=Arthropod a
classis=Crustacea
subclassis=Malacostraca
ordo=Amphipoda
familia=Talitridae
genus="Orchestia "
species="Orchestia agilis""Orchestia agilis" is a species of amphipod
crustacean known as the common sand flea. It is found on the Atlantic coast of the Americas from Canada to Argentina, and on the coast of Europe. Sand fleas are abundant on the surface of sandy shores and may be found burrowing in thesand . Laterally compressed and less than 12 mm (less than 0.5 in) long, they leap by bending their body together and throwing it open with a sudden jerk, using their body segment, the taillike telson. They feed on almost any dead or decaying animal or plant substance.References
Encarta Reference Library Premium 2005 DVD. Article - Common Sand Flea
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