Rock-pool
Guides
Anurida maritima
seashore springtail, rock springtail
Anurida maritima is a cosmopolitan springtail confined to the intertidal zone, where it forms dense aggregations of up to several hundred individuals on rock-pool surfaces. This wingless collembolan exhibits unique adaptations to marine conditions, including a vestigial furcula that prevents jumping and hydrophobic body hairs that enable it to remain on water surfaces. The species demonstrates complex behavioral rhythms synchronized with tidal cycles and survives winter through egg diapause. Recent genetic studies have revealed cryptic speciation within this morphospecies, with distinct mitochondrial and nuclear lineages now recognized.
Ochlerotatus togoi
Ochlerotatus togoi is a salt-tolerant euryhaline mosquito that inhabits coastal rock pools with salinities ranging from freshwater to seawater. It is a known vector of flaviviruses and filarial worms affecting humans, including Wuchereria bancrofti and Brugia species. Rising sea levels have expanded its suitable habitat, increasing public health concerns in coastal regions. Laboratory studies show complex salinity-dependent life history traits: highest oviposition preference occurs in freshwater, yet optimal adult development occurs at moderate salinities around 25 psu.