By Robert Allen, Detroit Free Press

Killer shrimp, red swamp crayfish and five other water-dwelling animals are officially banned from Michigan for threatening the balance of life in our lakes.

The prohibited, invasive species are illegal to possess if they're alive, as there is concern that they will hurt existing populations in the aquatic food chain.

The killer shrimp (scientific name: dikerogammarus villosus), for example, is an inch-long critter that rips up and eats invertebrates its own size.

"They have a really big mouth and claws, and they literally shred their prey," said Nick Popoff, spokesman with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. "They are very aggressive in any of the systems that they get into."

The seven species were banned after a 2013 meeting among Gov. Rick Snyder and officials from other Great Lakes states and Canadian provinces.

The official decision came during Thursday's meeting of the Natural Resources Commission, according to a DNR news release Monday.

Popoff said the ban on the invasive species is about awareness as well as laws. People, particularly anglers, who see anything suspicious regarding the species in Michigan are asked to call the Report All Poachers hotline at 800-292-7800.

The Department of Natural Resources describes the newly prohibited species as follows:

■ Stone moroko. Part of the minnow family, this species is a known carrier of a parasite that can negatively impact other fish.

■ Zander. A close relative of the walleye, this species could compete with the native fish or reproduce with it and create a hybrid.

■ Wels catfish. This fish is considered a serious danger to native fish populations.

■ Killer shrimp. This species is an aggressive predator and could severely threaten the trophic (food chain) levels of the Great Lakes by preying on a range of invertebrates.

■ Yabby. This large crayfish would negatively impact other crayfish species.

■ Golden mussel. Similar to zebra and quagga mussels, this species has destructive qualities that would threaten native biodiversity.

■ Red swamp crayfish. This species can quickly dominate water bodies and is virtually impossible to eradicate.

Information on invasive species, including a list of all creatures and plants prohibited in Michigan, is available on the DNR website.

Contact Robert Allen: rallen@freepress.com or @rallenmi