General Description
Brown with paler spots and white eyes. The last uropod has two minute hooks at the end. Up to 8 mm long.
Biology
Ampithoids build thin tubes in which to live, weaving them from silk secreted from glands in their legs. Hooks on the uropods and on the hind legs hold the animal in its tube which is stuck among the fronds of algae. Ampithoids are herbivores, feeding on the algae where they live.
Habitat
Intertidal areas in macroalgae, to depth of 23 m.
Soft substrates
Seagrass meadows
Distribution guide
South-eastern Australia, including coastal Victoria.
Species Group
Depth
Water Column
Max Size
8 mm
Diet
Herbivore
Commercial Species
No
Global Dispersal
Native to Australia
Conservation Status
- DSE Advisory List : Not listed
- EPBC Act 1999 : Not listed
- IUCN Red List : Not listed
Author
Dr. Jo Taylor is the Sciences Collections Online Coordinator at Museum Victoria.
Author
Dr. Gary Poore is Principal Curator Emeritus at Museum Victoria.
Cite this page as:
Taylor, J. & Poore, G.C.B., 2011, Amphipod, Ampithoe ngana, in Taxonomic Toolkit for marine life of Port Phillip Bay, Museum Victoria, accessed 10 Jan 2025, http://136.154.202.208:8098/species/5085
