sand flea

sand flea
1. See beach flea.
2. chigoe.
[1790-1800]

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Hopping terrestrial crustacean (family Talitridae).

The European sand flea (Talitrus saltator) is about 0.6 in. (1.5 cm) long. The long-horned sand flea (T. longicornis), found on the North American Atlantic coast, has antennae the same length as the waxy white body, up to 1 in. (2.5 cm) long. During the day, sand fleas lie buried near the high-tide mark; at night, they forage for organic debris. The common sand flea (Orchestia agilis, or platensis) lives along Atlantic coasts of Europe and the Americas.

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also called  sand hopper,  beach flea , or  beach hopper 
 any of several terrestrial crustaceans of the family Talitridae (order Amphipoda) that are notable for their hopping ability. The European sand flea (Talitrus saltator), which is about 1.5 centimetres (0.6 inch) long, lives on sand beaches near the high-tide mark, remaining buried in the sand during daytime and emerging at night to forage for food. Like other sand fleas, it feeds on organic debris.

      The long-horned sand flea (T. longicornis), which is found on the Atlantic coast of North America from New England to the Gulf of Mexico, is named for its antennae, which are as long as the body. It grows to 2.5 centimetres (1 inch) long, and is waxy white. In habit it resembles T. saltator.

      The common sand flea (Orchestia agilis or O. platensis), which is found on the coast of Europe and on the eastern Atlantic coasts of the Americas from Greenland to Argentina, is about 1 centimetre (0.4 inch) in length and is mostly dark brown or gray; the tail is bluish, and the antennae are reddish brown. It lives in damp sand.

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Sand flea — Sand Sand, n. [AS. sand; akin to D. zand, G. sand, OHG. sant, Icel. sandr, Dan. & Sw. sand, Gr. ?.] 1. Fine particles of stone, esp. of siliceous stone, but not reduced to dust; comminuted stone in the form of loose grains, which are not coherent …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Sand flea — may refer to:* Talitridae * Sandfly * Mole crab * Chigoe flea ( Tunga penetrans ) …   Wikipedia

  • sand flea — sand′ flea n. 1) ent beach flea 2) ent chigoe • Etymology: 1790–1800 …   From formal English to slang

  • sand flea — n. 1. CHIGOE 2. SAND HOPPER …   English World dictionary

  • sand flea — n CHIGOE (1) * * * chigoe …   Medical dictionary

  • sand flea — noun small amphipod crustaceans that hop like fleas; common on ocean beaches • Syn: ↑beach flea, ↑sand hopper, ↑sandhopper • Hypernyms: ↑amphipod • Member Holonyms: ↑Orchestia, ↑ …   Useful english dictionary

  • sand flea — noun Date: 1796 1. a flea (as a chigoe) found in sandy places 2. any of numerous amphipod crustaceans (family Talitridae) living on ocean beaches and leaping like fleas called also beach flea …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • sand flea — noun a) Any of various small crustaceans of the order Amphipoda, that are found on beaches and jump like a flea. b) A small tropical flea, Tunga penetrans; a chigoe …   Wiktionary

  • sand-flea — n. Beach flea, sandhopper, amphiped, sea flea …   New dictionary of synonyms

  • sand flea — noun 1》 another term for chigger (in sense 1). 2》 another term for sandhopper …   English new terms dictionary

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