Brine shrimp is the English name of the genus Artemia of aquatic crustaceans. Artemia, the only genus in the family Artemiidae, have evolved little since the Triassic period. First discovered in Lymington, England, in 1755, Artemia are found worldwide in inland saltwater lakes, but not in oceans.

Artemia is a well known genus as one variety (sometimes identified as a new species Artemia salina x nyos), a cultivated subspecies of Artemia salina, is sold as a novelty gift, most often under the marketing name Sea-Monkeys. Brine shrimp eggs are metabolically inactive and can remain in total stasis for several years while in dry oxygen-free conditions, even at temperatures below freezing. This characteristic is called cryptobiosis meaning "hidden life" (also called diapause).

Once placed in water, the cyst-like eggs hatch within a few hours. The nauplii, or larvae, are less than 0.5mm in length when they first hatch. Brine shrimp have a biological life cycle of one year, during which they grow to a mature length of around one cm on average.

This short life span, along with other characteristics such as their ability to remain dormant for long periods, has made them invaluable in scientific research, including space experiments.

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