Anaspidaceans: Anaspidacea

Anaspidaceans are found only in southeastern Australia (including Tasmania), New Zealand, Chile, and Argentina.

The larger species of anaspidaceans usually prefer to live in cool mountain streams, lakes, and swamps. Stream-dwelling species forage on boulders and smaller rocks on the stream bottom. Species living in swamps are found in the burrows of crayfish. Lake species live in mats of algae growing on the bottom. Smaller species live in the sands surrounding underground springs.

Anaspidaceans eat plant and animal materials. Larger species scavenge these materials by scraping them off rocks submerged in water.

Four species of Australian anaspidaceans are listed by the World Conservation Union (IUCN) as Vulnerable, or facing a high rate of extinction in the wild. These include the Tasmanian anaspid crustacean (Allanaspides helonomus), Hickman's Pygmy Mountain shrimp (Allanaspides hickmani), Great Lake Shrimp (Paranaspides lacustris), and Eucrenonaspides oinotheke.