Genus Daphnia

Classification · Food · Life Cycle · Remarks · Internet References

Daphnia galeata mendotae - Daphnia galeata

Water Flea, lateral, Specimen 1 - Daphnia

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Crustacea (Crustaceans)

Class Branchiopoda (Branchiopods)

Order Diplostraca

Suborder Cladocera (Water Fleas)

Infraorder Anomopoda (Anomopods)

Family Daphniidae

Genus Daphnia

Food

They are suspension feeders, that is they feed on small suspended particles. planktonic algae, bacteria.

Life Cycle

They are parthenogenetic in the spring. They lay eggs into the brood pouch, placed dorsally. The embryos develop in the brood pouch and are born live. When conditions get harder, they produce "resting eggs" with a protective casing; these can last the winter (NCBI Introduction to Daphnia Biology).

Remarks

They are used in research. They serve as food for small fish.

Internet References

NCBI Introduction to Daphnia Biology

Wikipedia

NIH

Fossweb

Contributed by Eric Moody on 17 November, 2009 - 10:23pm
Additional contributions by Beatriz Moisset
Last updated 23 April, 2012 - 2:33pm

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