Sand-hoppers and fungi

Thu, 24 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Megalorchestia pugettensis

*Megalorchestia pugettensis*

Over the summer I was transfixed by these tiny crustaceans I noticed on the beach. I noticed their movement and dozens upon dozens of tiny holes near the tideline.

Getting my nose down to the beach, I got a view of these miniscule sand-hoppers emerging, jumping about, and digging themselves back down into the sand. The species is probably Megalorchestia pugettensis.

A few days ago I read about some research that revealed they (or at least their Californian cousins) move vast quantities of sand – on par with coastal erosion. Read about it here: Tiny beach-dwelling crustaceans are big-time sand movers, shaping the California coast.

I also learned about the field of biogeomorphology. Absolutely fascinating.

Sand-Hoppers on

Sand-hoppers and fungi

Megalorchestia pugettensis