Melita nitida Smith, 1873

Description:

Benthic amphipod, taken with Leica DFC 490 camera mounted on a Leica M205C binocular microscope. This is an invasive species in Europe, originally originating from America. The species can be distinguished from other local Melitidae species by the absence of dorsal teeth on pleosomites and urosomites, an accesory flagellum with at least two segments and a group of dorso lateral spines on either side of urosome 2. Collected in 2011 near the Bend of Bath on the Western Scheldt. Length = ~4 mm Focus stack of 34 pictures. Date: 13 April 2012