beach flea

Tiny sand crustacean

Beach flea is a common name for small crustaceans that hop like fleas and live in sand along shorelines.

They're also called sand fleas or sand hoppers.

Despite the name, they're not insects—they're amphipods that feed on decaying seaweed and organic matter.

They emerge at night and can jump several inches when disturbed: The beach fleas scattered as we walked across the wet sand.

crustacean

amphipod

Small sideways-flattened crustacean

arthropodJointed-limb invertebrate phylum
exoskeletonExternal skeletal structure
antennaeSensory appendages on insects

chitin · carapace · segmented · scavenger · detritivore · isopod · copepod · decapod · mandible · molt

habitat

intertidal

Zone between high and low watermarks

seaweedSaltwater aquatic plants
kelpLarge brown marine algae
driftwoodSea-delivered shore lumber

tidepool · shoreline · dunes · foreshore · strand · rockpool · debris · high tide mark · cove · estuary

size

tiny

Extremely small in size

minusculeExtremely small in size
smallLimited in size
diminutiveVery small, or nickname form

millimeter · inconspicuous · numerous · swarming · colony · abundant · cryptic · overlooked · countless

jumping

hopping

Leaping in succession

leapingSpringing into air
springingJumping or rebounding motion
boundingMoving by leaps

propelling · darting · scurrying · explosive · evasive · rapid · erratic · nocturnal · burrowing · escape

Opposites

habitat location

beach fleacave dweller

One living in caverns

taxonomic classification

beach fleainsect

Six-legged invertebrate

cat flea · dog flea · chigger

size/visibility

beach fleawhale

Huge sea mammal

giant squid · elephant seal · great white shark · manatee · sea lion

Family

beach, beaches, beached, beaching, beachy, flea, fleas

Familiarity: Top 500,000
Profile: Used worldwide · Timeless · Concrete · Everyday, not technical · Rated G