Water flea
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Water flea is a generic term for a number of small aquatic crustacea characterised by their jumping or jerky mode of swimming. Most are between 0.1 mm and 3 mm in length. Most commonly, they will be species of Daphnia but a number of other genera are also commonly included, including Cyclops, and Diaptomus. Water fleas are commonly sold as aquarium food since they are easy to culture and reproduce rapidly.
The "spiny water flea", Bythotrephes cederstroemi, is causing serious concerns in the lakes of Canada. The problem is that it feeds on zooplankton and can actually eliminate zooplankton species. As zooplankton is the backbone of aquatic food chains, this tiny crustacean presents a serious risk to the ecosystem. The eggs survive even after being dried out or eaten by fish.[1]
[edit] References
- ^ Robert Roy Britt (2005). Invasive Creatures Attack Like Internet Viruses. LiveScience.com.
