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cladoceran

cladoceran

9.9
A small freshwater crustacean called a water flea
  • noun
  • /ˈklædəˌsɪrən/
  • Specialized
translation icon : cladócera
  • In the freshwater lake, we observed various species of cladocerans thriving among the aquatic plants.
  • cladocerans and copepods

Examples

  • The zooplankton, mainly cladocerans, hatch from resting stages in the soil and feed on detritus and phytoplankton (Hoberg et al. 2002).

    Academic text (2009)

  • Gunn (1987) noted that larvae from Long Island Sound consumed mostly crab larvae and copepods, with occasional cladocerans, insects, and diatoms.

    Academic text (1999)

  • The small cladoceran swam swiftly through the water, evading predators with its quick movements.

  • Researchers found that the population of cladocerans increased significantly during the summer months.

Synonyms

water flea
vscladoceran
1 4.9

A very small fresh water animal with a rounded body that lives in ponds and many fish eat

is the scientific term naming the group by its taxonomic order

Surface Forms

cladoceran singular
cladocerans plural

Morphology

cladoceran = Cladocera (transparent) = cladocera + an

Derived from the taxonomic name 'Cladocera' with the member/agent/adjectival suffix '-an', yielding 'a member of Cladocera'.

Etymology

Cladoceran comes from Greek parts clado- meaning 'branch' and -cera meaning 'horn'. The name refers to their branched antennae and so to the small freshwater animal often called a 'water flea'.