10 fun facts about Killer Shrimp

  1. Killer Shrimp can eat prey almost its own size

  2. It often kills more animals than it actually needs to eat (aka surplus killing) 

  3. Despite its name, it is not a true shrimp, but an amphipod crustacean 

  4. It can grow up to about 3 centimeters long, which is large for an amphipod species 

  5. Females carry eggs in a brood pouch, helping protect young until they hatch (similar to male sea horses)

  6. Killer Shrimp reproduces quickly and can produce multiple generations in one year (3-6x)

  7. It can survive in polluted water better than many native aquatic species 

  8. It spreads easily by attaching to boats, fishing gear, and equipment moved between water bodies

  9. The species originally came from the Black Sea and Caspian Sea region of Eastern Europe 

  10. It has not established wild populations in the United States yet, but scientists consider it a serious invasion risk because of their reproductive ability