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Amphipod, Burrowing

Scientific name:

Paracorophium excavatum

Maori name:

Mōwhitiwhiti

Other names:

Amphipod, Mudflat

Category:

Invertebrate

Phylum:

Arthropoda

Class:

Malacostraca

Family:

Corophiidae

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Common habitat(s):

Soft Bottom Subtidal

Sandy/Muddy Shore Intertidal

Other information:

Feeding:

Scavenger

Distribution:

South Island

Edibility:

Inedible

Size:

Coin Sized

Identification:

Compressed from side to side, a type of sandhopper. Can be translucent to sandy coloured.

Habitat:

Builds burrows on the mudflat from mid intertidal to shallow subtidal. Burrow entrances can be easily seen as small mounds on the mudflats.

Diet:

Feeds on organic detritus at the surface of the sediment.

Lifestyle:

Notes:

References:

Dr K. Probert