Hyalella montezuma
Encyclopedia
Hyalella montezuma is a pelagic amphipod. It lives in Montezuma Well
, an oasis
in central Arizona
. It is the only food of the endemic leech
Motobdella montezuma
.
Montezuma Well
Montezuma Well , a detached unit of Montezuma Castle National Monument, is a natural limestone sinkhole near Rimrock, Arizona through which some of water flow each day through two underground springs. It is located northeast of Montezuma Castle. The well measures in at across and deep. The...
, an oasis
Oasis
In geography, an oasis or cienega is an isolated area of vegetation in a desert, typically surrounding a spring or similar water source...
in central Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
. It is the only food of the endemic leech
Leech
Leeches are segmented worms that belong to the phylum Annelida and comprise the subclass Hirudinea. Like other oligochaetes such as earthworms, leeches share a clitellum and are hermaphrodites. Nevertheless, they differ from other oligochaetes in significant ways...
Motobdella montezuma
Motobdella montezuma
Motobdella montezuma is a species of leech which is only found in Montezuma Well, central Arizona, United States. It is a nocturnal pelagic predator that feeds almost exclusively on the endemic amphipod Hyalella montezuma, which it detects using passive sonar and swallows whole.-Description:Adults...
.