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Analysis and Identification of Arthropods and Nematodes
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Daphina |
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| One of the most common crustaceans to be found in lakes, ponds and quiet streams is the 'water flea', Daphnia. These tiny animals are usually less than 3mm in size, so you could put dozens of them on a single fingernail. They're not really fleas – in fact they're not insects at all, but rather crustaceans, more closely related to crabs and shrimp. Water fleas are extremely important in the food chains of ponds and lakes - they harvest the tiny algae cells that convert sun energy into food, and then they pass this energy along to other animals such as fish or other predators. |
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