Brine Shrimp

Description:

Artemia is a very tiny shrimp (8 mm for adult males and up to 12 mm for adult females) found worldwide in inland saltwater lakes, but not in oceans. Mono Lake's alkalinity (pH=10) makes life impossible for fish which allows these shrimps to grow in the order of trillions. Wild brine shrimp eat microscopic planktonic algae. They are also themselves the staple food for most birds living in the same environments and this diet is, for example, responsible for the red pink color in flamingoes in other similar habtats around the world. Artemia monica is only found in Mono Lake and efforts have been made to prevent the deviation of water from this lake to the city of LA in order to preserve this unique habitat.

Habitat:

Mono Lake, CA.