The spiny water flea is a tiny, predatory crustacean with a long, sharp, barbed tail spine. The organism is a native of Northern Europe, but has since invaded the United States and Canada. It was first discovered in Lake Huron in 1984, probably introduced through the ballast water of ocean going ships. Since then populations have exploded. These crustaceans reproduce rapidly and though tiny, this invasive species has the potential of doing a great deal of damage in the aquatic food web. Many small fish avoid eating spiny water flea because of its barbed tail and as a predator, it feeds on the same native zooplankton that many small native fish also rely on for food. The more abundant it becomes, less food remains available for juvenile fish. To date, the only effective strategy for controlling spiny water flea is to prevent its introduction into new bodies of water.
Info Courtesy of National Park Service
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