What is spiny water flea?
Spiny water flea (alien species Bythotrephes longimanus) is a tiny crustacean related to native forms among Quabbin zooplankton, such as Daphnia, but ranges up to about ½ inch in size – over ten times larger than native water fleas! The elongated, barbed tail of this non-native organism protects against predation by small juvenile fish which have difficulty ingesting the tail spine. Where did it come from? Spiny water flea is native to Eurasia and was introduced into the Great Lakes via freighter ballast in the mid-1980s. It was discovered in Great Sacandaga Lake, N.Y. in September 2008, just 108 miles northwest of Quabbin. Currently known U.S. distribution is shown in red on the map below. Why is spiny water flea a threat to Quabbin fishing? This non-native organism threatens Quabbin fishing in two ways: (1.) Spiny water fleas compete with juvenile sport fish for food. Both the spiny water flea and young fish prey almost entirely on native water fleas and other zooplankton. Research h
