PORT PHILLIP BAY


Amphipod 

Byblis mildura Lowry & Poore, 1985

View scientific description and taxonomy

Scientific Details

Taxonomy

Phylum:
Arthropoda
Subphylum:
Crustacea
Class:
Malacostraca
Subclass:
Eumalacostraca
Superorder:
Peracarida
Order:
Amphipoda
Suborder:
Gammaridea
Family:
Ampeliscidae
Genus:
Byblis
Species:
mildura

General Description

Brown body. Flattened head with two pairs of eyes on the side, one pair with a focussing lens in the cuticle. Up to 12 mm long.

Biology

Byblis mildura is one of the most common amphipods on soft muddy sediments in places like Port Phillip Bay. It occurs in densities up to 1200 individuals per square metre. The animals live in silky tubes on their backs filtering and sorting the muddy sediments with the long hairs on their front legs.

Habitat

Soft muddy subtidal sediments, between 10-80 m depth.

Soft substrates

Distribution guide

South-eastern Australia.

Species Group

Microcrustaceans Amphipods

Depth

Shallow (1-30 m)
Deep ( > 30 m)

Water Column

On or near sea floor

Max Size

12 mm

Diet

Organic matter

Commercial Species

No

Global Dispersal

Native to Australia

Species Code

sp. MoV 132

Conservation Status

  • DSE Advisory List : Not listed
  • EPBC Act 1999 : Not listed
  • IUCN Red List : Not listed

Author

article author Taylor, J.

Dr. Jo Taylor is the Sciences Collections Online Coordinator at Museum Victoria.

Author

article author Poore, G.C.B.

Dr. Gary Poore is Principal Curator Emeritus at Museum Victoria.

citation

Cite this page as:
Taylor, J. & Poore, G.C.B., 2011, Amphipod, Byblis mildura, in Taxonomic Toolkit for marine life of Port Phillip Bay, Museum Victoria, accessed 04 Nov 2024, http://136.154.202.208:8098/species/5083

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