First Bloody Red Shrimp Record for Suttons Bay

The first sighting of a bloody red shrimp, Hemimysis anomala, was made today in a sample from an experimental plankton pump, set up to run overnight at the ISEA Schooner Dock in Suttons Bay.  This animal is an invasive species from the Black - Azov - Caspian Sea area of Eurasia.  It likely got to the Great Lakes in the ballast water of ships.  For more on Hemimysis ecology, look at the USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species web site.

The plankton pump was in its first overnight test, starting on Friday afternoon, April 5, 2013.  The pump was at 0.84 meters depth on a rocky substrate. Unfortunately the battery did not have enough capacity to run the pump for 24 hours, so the next test will incorporate an inverter or battery charger to keep the battery voltage the same throughout the pumping period.  Despite the failure of this first test to give a quantitative result, we did find what we were looking for, the bloody red shrimp.  This zooplankton has been previously found in Muskegon Lake and Elk Rapids. 

After the plankton pump sampler is perfected we intend to sample a number of harbors in NW Michigan, and we will add this to the sampling gear of the Schoolship Inland Seas to sample ports visited this summer.

Hemimysis collected from Suttons Bay, April 5 - 6, 2013

Hemimysis tail section showing telson

Hemimysis showing characteristic twin spikes on the squared-off telson

More results will be posted on this blog as they become available.

-Thomas M. Kelly - ISEA Executive Director
-Graham P. Kelly - ISEA Student Intern

Ecological History of the Great Lakes

ISEA Executive Director Tom Kelly gives keynote address at Freshwater Summit in Traverse City...read the article in the Traverse City Record Eagle http://www.record-eagle.com/archivesearch/local_story_275233038.html

Bloody Red Shirmp found in Grand Traverse Bay

MDNR researchers have found the invasive shirmp Hemimysis anomala in East Bay near Elk Rapids. Christine Crissman obained a sample for us to observe and photograph. Stop in the Center to see these under the microscope. We will be looking for these near our dock in Suttons Bay also. They stay close to the rocks so we would not likely get them in our plankton net at our sampling stations. For more information on Hemimysis go to http://www.schoolship.org/stewardship/?id=325 and click on the Hemimysis Fact Sheet.

Speaking of invasive species, Christine gave a great presentation on the effects of invasives in Grand Traverse Bay this past Tuesday. If you missed the seminar you can still see the slides at

http://www.schoolship.org/news_events/?id=759 - click on "presentation".

See you at the the Dance Party Benefit for the TC Water Festival this Saturday evening (8pm) at Serenity Tea Room.

-TK