A body about 1 cm long is bent in an arc, dressed in a solid chitinous shell, consisting of 14 parts. On the head are 2 eyes and two pairs of antennae-antennas serving as organs of touch when searching for food. Gammarus move with side impacts of the body, additionally helping themselves with 9 pairs of legs, for which they got the second name amphipod. Chest legs are respiratory, with gills. Three front pairs of abdominal legs two-headed with swimming setae, serve for swimming. Three rear pairs are directed backwards, together with telson (tail) serve for jumping. Females have a brood chamber for carrying eggs on their breasts. The development is direct.
Gammarus are common in the Holarctic . They inhabit both fresh and salt bodies of water. Mainly kept under stones, among pebbles and coarse sand in the coastal strip.
Gammarus feed mainly on plant foods, eating rotting organic remains of fallen leaves and aquatic plants.
Gammarus are popular and indispensable for use as feed at fish factories, and are widely used in the cultivation of trout, sturgeon , cyprinids and other valuable species of fish. In the aquarium, they are used to feed medium and large fish, as well as a good ballast food, which helps to cleanse the digestive system in fish. She enjoys eating aquatic species of turtles.
Gammarus are considered one of the best feeds due to their high nutritional value and high carotene content. The analysis shows that 12.2% of the dry weight of gammarus contains 56.2% of protein, 5.8% of fats, 3.2% of carbohydrates.
In live form, gammarus can be carriers of fish parasites; therefore, when used for feeding fish, they are decontaminated by ozonation and freezing.
The genus includes the following species [3] :
- Gammarus abscisus G. Karaman, 1973
- Gammarus abstrusus Hou, Platvoet & Li, 2006
- Gammarus acalceolatus Pinkster, 1970
- Gammarus accolae G. Karaman, 1973
- Gammarus accretus Hou & Li, 2002
- Gammarus acherondytes Hubricht & Mackins, 1940
- Gammarus aequicauda (Martynov, 1931)
- Gammarus agrarius G. Karaman, 1973
- Gammarus albimanus G. Karaman, 1968
- Gammarus alsaticus Van Straelen, 1924 †
- Gammarus anatoliensis Schellenberg, 1937
- Gammarus angulatus (Martynov, 1930)
- Gammarus angusticoxalis Martynov, 1935
- Gammarus annandalei (Monod, 1924)
- Gammarus annulatus Smith, 1873
- Gammarus anodon Stock, Mirzajani, Vonk, Naderi & Kiabi, 1998
- Gammarus aoculus Hou & Li, 2003
- Gammarus araxenius Derzhavin, 1938
- Gammarus arduus G. Karaman, 1975
- Gammarus argaeus Vávra, 1905
- Gammarus bakhteyaricus Khalayi-Pirbalanty & Sari, 2004
- Gammarus balcanicus schaferna, 1922
- Gammarus barnaulensis Schellenberg, 1937
- Gammarus baysali Özbek et al., 2013
- Gammarus belli G. Karaman, 1984
- Gammarus bergi Martynov, 1930
- Gammarus birsteini Karaman & Pinkster, 1977
- Gammarus bosniacus Schäferna, 1922
- Gammarus bousfieldi Cole & Minckley, 1961
- Gammarus brevicornis (Martynov, 1935)
- Gammarus brevipodus Hou, Li & Platvoet, 2004
- Gammarus breviramus Bousfield & Elwood, 1971
- Gammarus bucharensis Martynov, 1935
- Gammarus caparti Petre-Stroobants, 1981
- Gammarus caucasicus Martynov, 1932
- Gammarus caudisetus Viviani, 1805
- Gammarus chaohuensis Hou & Li, 2002
- Gammarus chevreuxi sexton , 1913
- Gammarus chimkenti G. Karaman, 1984
- Gammarus chostensis Martynov, 1932
- Gammarus cohabitus Hosinger, Shafer, Fong & Culver, 2008
- Gammarus comosus Hou, Li & Gao, 2005
- Gammarus craspedotrichus Hou & Li, 2002
- Gammarus crenulatus GS Karaman & Pinkster, 1977
- Gammarus crinicaudatus Stock, Mirzajani, Vonk, Naderi & Kiabi, 1998
- Gammarus crinicornis Stock, 1966
- Gammarus crispus Martynov, 1932
- Gammarus curvativus Hou & Li, 2003
- Gammarus dabanus Tachteew & Mekhanikova, 2000
- Gammarus daiberi Bousfield, 1969
- Gammarus decorosus Meng, Hou & Li, 2003
- Gammarus denticulatus Hou, Li & Morino, 2002
- Gammarus desperatus Cole, 1981
- Gammarus dorsosetosus Mateus & Mateus, 1990
- Gammarus duebeni Liljeborg, 1852
- Gammarus dulensis S. Karaman, 1929
- Gammarus edwardsi Bate, 1862
- Gammarus effultus G. Karaman, 1975
- Gammarus electrus Hou & Li, 2003
- Gammarus elevatus Hou, Li & Morino, 2002
- Gammarus elvirae Iannilli & Ruffo, 2002
- Gammarus emeiensis Hou, Li & Koenemann, 2002
- Gammarus fasciatus Say, 1818
- Gammarus finmarchicus dahl, 1938
- Gammarus flabellifera Stimpson, 1856
- Gammarus fluviatilis Milne-Edwards, 1840 †
- Gammarus fontinalis Costa, 1883
- Gammarus fossarum Koch, 1836
- Gammarus frater Karaman & Pinkster, 1977
- Gammarus frigidus Hou & Li, 2004
- Gammarus galgosensis Lee & Kim, 2004
- Gammarus galgosensis Lee & Kim, 1980
- Gammarus gauthieri (S. Karaman, 1935)
- Gammarus glabratus Hou & Li, 2003
- Gammarus goedmakersae GS Karaman & Pinkster, 1977
- Gammarus gracilis Martynov, 1935
- Gammarus gregoryi Tattersall, 1924
- Gammarus halilicae G. Karaman, 1969
- Gammarus hegmatanensis Hekmatara, Sari & Baladehi, 2011 [4]
- Gammarus hirsutus Martynov, 1935
- Gammarus hongyuanensis Barnard & Dai, 1988
- Gammarus hoonsooi Lee, 1986
- Gammarus hyalelloides Cole, 1976
- Gammarus ibericus Margalef, 1951
- Gammarus inaequicauda Stock, 1966
- Gammarus inberbus Karaman & Pinkster, 1977
- Gammarus inopinatus Mateus & Mateus, 1990
- Gammarus insensibilis Stock, 1966
- Gammarus italicus Goedmakers & Pinkster, 1977
- Gammarus izmirensis Özbek, 2007
- Gammarus jacksoni Morino & Whitman, 1995
- Gammarus jaspidus Hou & Li, 2004
- Gammarus jenneri Bynum & Fox, 1977
- Gammarus kamtschaticus Tzvetkova, 1972
- Gammarus kasymovi Aliev, 1997
- Gammarus katagani Özbek, 2012
- Gammarus kesanensis Özbek & Camur-Elipek, 2010
- Gammarus kesslerianus Martynov, 1931
- Gammarus kischineffensis Schellenberg, 1937
- Gammarus komareki (Schaferna, 1922)
- Gammarus korbuensis Martynov, 1930
- Gammarus koshovi Bazikalova, 1946
- Gammarus kyonggiensis Lee & Seo, 1990
- Gammarus laborifer Karaman & Pinkster, 1977
- Gammarus lacustris GO Sars, 1864
- Gammarus lasaensis Barnard & Dai, 1988
- Gammarus laticoxalis Karaman & Pinkster, 1977
- Gammarus lawrencianus Bousfield, 1956
- Gammarus lecroyae Thoma & Heard, 2009
- Gammarus ledoyeri G. Karaman, 1987
- Gammarus lepoliensis Jazdzewski & Konopacka, 1989
- Gammarus lichuanensis Hou & Li, 2002
- Gammarus limnaeus SI smith, 1874
- Gammarus lobifer Stock, Mirzajani, Vonk, Naderi & Kiabi, 1998
- Gammarus locusta (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Gammarus longipedis Karaman & Pinkster, 1987
- Gammarus longisaeta Lee & Seo, 1992
- Gammarus lophacanthus Hou & Li, 2002
- Gammarus lordeganensis Khalayi-Pirbalanty & Sari, 2004
- Gammarus lychnidensis Schellenberg, 1943
- Gammarus macedonicus G. Karaman, 1976
- Gammarus madidus Hou & Li, 2005
- Gammarus marmouchensis Fadil, 2006
- Gammarus maroccanus Fadil & Dakki, 2001
- Gammarus martensi Hou & Li, 2004
- Gammarus matienus Derzhavin, 1938
- Gammarus miae Mateus & Mateus, 1990
- Gammarus microps Pinkster & Goedmakers, 1975
- Gammarus minus Say, 1818
- Gammarus mladeni Karaman & Pinkster, 1977
- Gammarus monospeliensis Pinkster, 1972
- Gammarus montanus Hou, Li & Platvoet, 2004
- Gammarus mucronatus Say, 1818
- Gammarus murarius Hou & Li, 2004
- Gammarus nekkensis Uchida, 1935
- Gammarus ninglangensis Hou & Li, 2003
- Gammarus nipponensis Uéno, 1940
- Gammarus nox Stock, 1995
- Gammarus nudus Martynov, 1931
- Gammarus obnixus Karaman & Pinkster, 1977
- Gammarus obruki Özbek, 2012
- Gammarus oceanicus Segerstråle, 1947
- Gammarus ocellatus Martynov, 1930
- Gammarus ochridensis (Schäferna, 1926)
- Gammarus odaensis Lee & Kim, 1980
- Gammarus odettae Mateus & Mateus, 1990
- Gammarus oeningensis Heer, 1865 †
- Gammarus orinos Pinkster & Schol, 1984
- Gammarus oronticus alouf, 1979
- Gammarus osellai Karaman & Pinkster, 1977
- Gammarus pageti Mateus & Mateus, 1990
- Gammarus palustris Bousfield, 1969
- Gammarus parechiniformis G. Karaman, 1977
- Gammarus paricrenatus Stock, Mirzajani, Vonk, Naderi & Kiabi, 1998
- Gammarus parthicus Stock, Mirzajani, Vonk, Naderi & Kiabi, 1998
- Gammarus paucispinus Hou & Li, 2002
- Gammarus pavlovici
- Gammarus pavo Karaman & Pinkster, 1977
- Gammarus paynei Delong, 1992
- Gammarus pecos Cole & Bousfield, 1970
- Gammarus pellucidus Gurjanova, 1930
- Gammarus pexus Hou & Li, 2005
- Gammarus platvoeti Hou & Li, 2003
- Gammarus pljakici G. Karaman, 1964
- Gammarus plumipes Mateus & Mateus, 1990
- Gammarus praecyrius Derzhavin, 1941 †
- Gammarus preciosus Wang, Hou & Li, 2009
- Gammarus pretzmanni Mateus & Mateus, 1990
- Gammarus proiectus Stock, Mirzajani, Vonk, Naderi & Kiabi, 1998
- Gammarus pseudoanatoliensis Karaman & Pinkster, 1987
- Gammarus pseudolimnaeus Bousfield, 1958
- Gammarus pseudosyriacus Karaman & Pinkster, 1977
- Gammarus pulex Linnaeus, 1758
- Gammarus qiani Hou & Li, 2002
- Gammarus rambouseki S. Karaman, 1931
- Gammarus retzi Maikovsky, 1941 †
- Gammarus rifatlensis Fadil, 2006
- Gammarus riparius Hou & Li, 2002
- Gammarus roeselii Gervais, 1835
- Gammarus rouxi Pinkster & Goedmakers, 1975
- Gammarus salemaai G. Karaman, 1985
- Gammarus salinus Spooner, 1947
- Gammarus sepidannus Zamanpoore, Poeckl, Grabowski & Schiemer, 2009
- Gammarus setosus Dementieva, 1931
- Gammarus shanxiensis Barnard & Dai, 1988
- Gammarus shenmuensis Hou & Li, 2004
- Gammarus sichuanensis Hou, Li & Zheng, 2002
- Gammarus sinuolatus Hou & Li, 2004
- Gammarus sirvannus Hekmatara, Sari & Baladehi, 2011 [4]
- Gammarus sketi G. Karaman, 1989
- Gammarus sobaegensis G. Karaman, 1984
- Gammarus solidus G. Karaman, 1977
- Gammarus songirdaki G. Karaman, 1984
- Gammarus soyoensis Lee & Kim, 1980
- Gammarus spelaeus Martynov, 1931
- Gammarus spinipalmus (Chen, 1939)
- Gammarus spooneri G. Karaman, 1991
- Gammarus stagnarius Hou, Li & Morino, 2002
- Gammarus stalagmiticus Hou & Li, 2005
- Gammarus stankokaramani G. Karaman, 1976
- Gammarus stojicevici (S. Karaman, 1929)
- Gammarus stupendus Pinkster, 1983
- Gammarus subtypicus Stock, 1966
- Gammarus suifunensis Martynov, 1925
- Gammarus syriacus Chevreux, 1895
- Gammarus takesensis Hou, Li & Platvoet, 2004
- Gammarus taliensis Shen, 1954
- Gammarus tauricus Martynov, 1931
- Gammarus teletzkensis Martynov, 1930
- Gammarus tigrinus sexton, 1939
- Gammarus topkarai Özbek & Balik, 2009
- Gammarus translucidus Hou, Li & Li, 2004
- Gammarus troglophilus Hubricht & Mackins, 1940
- Gammarus truncatus Martynov, 1930
- Gammarus turanus Martynov, 1935
- Gammarus uludagi GS Karaman, 1975
- Gammarus unguiserratus Costa, 1853
- Gammarus ustaoglui Özbek & Guloglu, 2005
- Gammarus varsoviensis Jazdzewski, 1975
- Gammarus vignai Pinkster & Karaman, 1978
- Gammarus wangbangensis Lee & Seo, 1990
- Gammarus wautieri Roux, 1967
- Gammarus wilkitzkii Birula, 1897
- Gammarus xiangfengensis Hou & Li, 2002
- Gammarus zaddachi Sexton, 1912
- Gammarus zagrosensis Zamanpoore, Poeckl, Grabowski & Schiemer, 2009
- Gammarus zeongogensis Lee & Kim, 1980
