Ostracod Inquiry

This crustacean looks like a "shrimp in a clam shell" and was collected from a pond in Flagstaff, Arizona.

Questions:

• How does this tiny crustacean move?

• Can you think of other types of movement that are similar to the one you see here?

• How does this organism's movement compare to other organisms?

• Can you find any cycles in the video? How do these cycles compare to other cycles you know about?

• What is the advantage to this organism for having a compressed or flattened spherical shape? How does this critter use its shape?

• What else can you find out about this critter?

Meanings:

Ostracod:

ostraco- comes from the Greek word for shell

co comes from the Greek word for "with"

So, ostracod means a critter with a shell.

---

©2010 by Jeffrey W. Bloom

---

COMMENTS: