What is this?

[JEck]

Found these swimming in a puddle in the middle of a cornfield in central ks along the Arkansas river, any ideas what they are? Puddle was full of them swimming around

 

[BTLowry]

First thought was brine shrimp or crawfish but no images that look like those for either

 

[JEck]

That was my first thought as well…but google didn’t match up.

 

[Dos Perros]

Google image search pegs it as a leech.

 

[weekender7]

bingo on the leech

 

[JEck]

Redtailed Fairy Shrimp

Orange and transparent swimming organism. Looks like lots of feet on the underside. Measuring 2 to 4 cms. Looks like their eyes float on the outsides of their heads. They flip over and all those feet on the underside flutter!

www.projectnoah.org

Just found this online

 

[timberland]

yes fairy shrimp

 

[JEck]

yes fairy shrimp

Any idea how they get to a puddle that was dry two weeks ago and is in the middle of a circle of corn?

 

[Tbone26]

Bird shit would be my guess.

 

[Mt Al]

Larval stage of a Chupakabra

 

[timberland]

Any idea how they get to a puddle that was dry two weeks ago and is in the middle of a circle of corn?

eggs can lay dormant in the dry ground, just like brine shrimp, also can get transferred by birds.

 

[timberland]

eggs can lay dormant in the dry ground, just like brine shrimp, also can get transferred by birds.

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

Same as sea monkeys?

 

[timberland]

Same as sea monkeys?

kinda, sea monkeys are brine shrimp and found in the Great Salt Lake and dead sea, etc.

these are freshwater guys, We have them in northern wi, in ponds and puddles where they don't get preyed upon by fish and ducks.

same family, genus, different species.

 

[TaperPin]

So - Lake Monkeys? Pond Monkeys?

In many high lakes, people have stocked fresh water shrimp and the trout look very pink inside. The Wind Rivers have a number of high lakes planted with fish and shrimp by an outfitter during the Great Depression. Polluting lakes with non native creatures may not be the current standard, but dang gum the fishing is really really really good.

Wind River Trails by Finis Mitchell

I’ve dreamed about flyfishing for golden trout in the Wind River Range ever since I picked up a flyfishing magazine when I was about 13 years old that had a short article detailing a backcountry trip in pursuit of the elusive golden trout. Even at the time I was an avid fisherman, but what I read...

www.trailgroove.com

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

So - Lake Monkeys? Pond Monkeys?

In many high lakes, people have stocked fresh water shrimp and the trout look very pink inside. The Wind Rivers have a number of high lakes planted with fish and shrimp by an outfitter in the Great Depression. Polluting lakes with non native creatures may not be the current standard, but dang gum the fishing is really really really good.

I've heard this about Devil's Lake in ND and other ND lakes with shrimp forage base.

 

[Will_m]

This is the first time in months that I actually learned something on this site. Pretty cool.

 

[JEck]

Didn’t know we had anything like that around, learn something new every day I guess

 

[timberland]

I've heard this about Devil's Lake in ND and other ND lakes with shrimp forage base.

that is a very different animal altogether, called a scud, that is in the dakota pothole lakes and Devils lake. it is more a crustacean. Trout fisherman can tell you all about scuds, or side-swimmers they are sometimes called.

Fairy shrimp are very seasonal, and slow, and don't stand much of a chance to fish. they are not very common in bodies of water that have any predator base

scuds are 3/8" to 1/2" long and brown, fairy shrimp are 3/4'-1 1/2" long and milky, clear or pink and often translucent.

scuds can also be dormant in the mud, but I don't think they cyst up lke fairy shrimp or brine shrimp. scuds are grazer, and if you ever get a chance to fish in ND from shore, you can see them crawling and swimming on the bottom as they feed, and the walleyes we catch are gorged with them.

 

[GSPHUNTER]

I'm going with the shrimp. I never saw a leach with eyes like that. I pulled a lot off me .