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Little Canaries

Small crustaceans called mysids, shown here swarming in the ocean, might serve as “canaries in the coal mine” indictating when marine environments are being exposed to chemicals that could affect other invertebrates as well, according to former WHOI postdoctoral scholar Tim Verslycke (now at Gradient Corporation). The tiny marine crustaceans (each 10 to 30 millimeters long) attract little attention, but they are essential in ocean food webs.
(Photo courtesy of Tim Verslycke)