fairy shrimp

noun

1. any member of the crustacean order Anostraca, characterized by an elongate trunk with more than 20 segments and the absence of a carapace, typically found swimming ventral side up in fresh water.

fairy shrimp

noun

1. any small freshwater branchiopod crustacean of the genera Chirocephalus , Artemia , etc, having a transparent body with many appendages and habitually swimming on its back: order Anostraca

Word History and Origins

Origin of fairy shrimp¹

First recorded in 1855–60