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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Crustaceans (Crustacea) » Branchiopods (Branchiopoda) » Diplostraca » Water Fleas (Cladocera)

Suborder Cladocera - Water Fleas

Classification · Other Common Names · Explanation of Names · Size · Identification · Habitat · Food · Life Cycle · Print References · Works Cited
Water Flea Keys out to bosmina longirostris at cfb.unh.edu key Simocephalus - Simocephalus Copepod Perhaps ? Sida crystallina Latona setifera Latona setifera Eurycercus nigracanthus
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Crustacea (Crustaceans)
Class Branchiopoda (Branchiopods)
Order Diplostraca
Suborder Cladocera (Water Fleas)
Other Common Names
Often called daphnia after the largest family, Daphniidae.
Explanation of Names
Author: Latreille, 1829
Size
Less than 5 mm
Identification
A thin carapace encloses the body, but not the head and large antennae, which are used in locomotion.
Habitat
Aquatic habitats including vernal pools.
Food
Detritus, algae, and bacteria.
Life Cycle
In early spring, females are parthenogenetic, laying only female eggs. Later in the season, males are produced. After mating, females produce drought-resistant eggs that overwinter.
Print References
Field Guide (1)
Keys to Cladocera orders (infraorders here) and families useful for our region (2)
Works Cited
1.A Field Guide to the Animals of Vernal Pools
Leo P. Kenney and Matthew R. Burne. 2000. Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program and Vernal Pool Association.
2.Freshwater Crustacean Zooplankton of Europe Cladocera & Copepoda (Calanoida, Cyclopoida)
L. A. Błędzki and J. I. Rybak. 2016. Springer.
Contributed by Charley Eiseman on 8 November, 2009 - 10:54pm
Additional contributions by Edward Ruden
Last updated 23 November, 2024 - 3:12pm

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