Biodiversity & Conservation

A mud shrimp - Corophium volutator

Corophium volutator

Image Steve Trewhella - Corophium volutator at Stanpit Marsh. Image width ca XX cm.
Image copyright information

  • #
Distribution map

Corophium volutator recorded (dark blue bullet) and expected (light blue bullet) distribution in Britain and Ireland (see below)

Why do the maps differ?

Sightings Have you seen Corophium volutator?
If so please submit your record.

Corophium volutator is not listed under any importance categories.

Taxonomy icon Taxonomy Taxon English term
Phylum Arthropoda Arthropods, joint-legged animals, e.g. insects, crustaceans & spiders
Class Malacostraca Crabs, lobsters, sand hoppers and sea slaters
Authority Pallas, 1766
Recent synonyms None
Map icon Recorded Distribution in Britain and Ireland Widely distributed on all coasts of Britain. Widely separated records in Ireland.
Habitat information icon Habitat information The amphipod occupies semi-permanent U-shaped burrows in the fine sediments of mud flats, salt marsh pools and brackish ditches. It tolerates a wide range of salinities from nearly fully saline to almost fresh water. When present in high densities the openings of the burrows are clearly visible on the surface of the sediment.
Text page icon Description Corophium volutator has a long slender body that is whitish with brown markings and grows up to 11 mm in length. It has a clearly segmented, dorso-ventrally flattened body. The head is small with two pairs of forward pointing antennae; the second pair are a distinguishing feature of Corophium volutator and are particularly long and thick. There are seven pairs of segmented legs with the top segment of each being typically small and separate from that of the next segment.
Identifying features
  • Body dorso-ventrally flattened.
  • Head with small pointed rostrum.
  • Antennae 2 forward pointing longer and thicker than antennae 1.
  • Gnathopods are small with many setae.
  • Last pair of pleopods are longer than the preceding pairs.
  • Coxal plates are small and separate.
Additional information icon Additional information The morphology of the male and female antennae differs significantly and for identification refer to the appropriate key, e.g. Lincoln (1979).

Want to know more? more

This review can be cited as follows:

Ken Neal & Penny Avant 2006. Corophium volutator. A mud shrimp. Marine Life Information Network: Biology and Sensitivity Key Information Sub-programme [on-line]. Plymouth: Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom. [cited 09/02/2010]. Available from: <http://www.marlin.ac.uk/speciesinformation.php?speciesID=3052>