Ostracods (seed shrimps) are small aquatic crustaceans that are thriving in habitats ranging from the deep sea, coral reefs, sandy beaches, brackish waters, lakes, rivers, streams, springs, groundwaters and wet leaf litter. I study Japanese freshwater ostracods and the development of ostracods in general.

For more information about ostracod biology and classification see About ostracods.

Why Study Ostracods?
Although an understudied group of animals due to their small size and difficulty in identifying species, ostracods are very useful in a wide range of disciplines. With their extremely long and abundant fossil record they can be used for reconstructing past environments. Biochemical analyses of their shells can reveal information about past climatic changes. Increasingly ostracods are being used in environmental studies, such as toxicity testing, due to their sensitivity to certain chemicals (e.g. pesticides). However, many species are yet to be discovered and described. To fully unlock the potential of this group research on their taxonomy, ecology and biogeography is essential.

Lake Biwa Museum 1091 Oroshimo Kusatsu Shiga 525-0001 Japan

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