A new non-native species has been found in western Lake Erie, the EPA said Monday.
It's named Brachionus leydigii. And it's a type of zooplankton, which means it could be food for lots of fish.But the EPA isn't sure whether little ol' B.l. will be harmful -- or helpful -- to the Great Lakes. The agency says there isn't enough scientific evidence to know yet.So the purple, blobby thing may not be upgraded -- downgraded? -- to an invasive species, like the fearsome Asian carp.Brachionus leydigii is most often found in parts of Europe, Asia and Australia, and it can handle cold temperatures like those in the Great Lakes, the EPA says. The finding resulted from a cooperative agreement between the EPA and Cornell University researchers as part of a biology monitoring program. Only one specimen -- a female -- was found. Copyright 2017 Great Lakes Today. To see more, visit Great Lakes Today.