About Eubranchipus oregonus Creaser, 1930
Eubranchipus oregonus, commonly called the Oregon fairy shrimp, can display body colors including white, pink, pale reddish-orange, and greenish-blue. This species swims upside down. Mature males typically reach a maximum size of 15.6 mm (0.61 inches), while mature females can grow up to 26.8 mm (1.06 inches). The full life cycle of the Oregon fairy shrimp lasts approximately 23 to 25 weeks. This species is found in fewer than 40 locations across the Pacific Northwest, ranging from southern British Columbia (including the Lower Mainland, southern Vancouver Island, and selected Gulf Islands) south to northern California. There are also a small number of known sites for this species in wetter areas of the Sierra Nevada Mountain range. Isolated populations of this species occur in Oklahoma, in areas associated with the southern boundary of the Laurentide Ice Sheet. Oregon fairy shrimp act as an indicator species, and they inhabit shallow freshwater vernal pools that are usually neutral to mildly acidic.
