Magnetic-orientation
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Talitridae
Sandhoppers, Landhoppers
Talitridae is a family of amphipod crustaceans encompassing diverse ecological forms including beach-dwelling sandhoppers, terrestrial landhoppers, and specialized driftwood hoppers. Members occupy habitats ranging from marine intertidal zones to fully terrestrial environments in rainforest leaf litter and caves. The family exhibits remarkable physiological adaptations for desiccation resistance and aerial respiration, with some Southern Hemisphere species being entirely terrestrial. Ecological diversity within Talitridae includes wrack generalists, psammophilic burrowers, palustral salt marsh dwellers, xylophagous driftwood specialists, and freshwater forms.