water flea

Daphnia laevis
Kingdom: Animalia FEATURES
Phylum: Arthropoda Water fleas are compressed side to side. The body
Class: Branchiopoda of these microscopic organisms is enclosed in a
transparent shell that usually has a spine at the end.
Order: Cladocera
Four, five or six pairs of swimming legs are present.
Family: Daphniidae One pair of antennae is modified for swimming and
ILLINOIS STATUS helps to propel the organism through the water. The
end of the female’s intestine is curled, while the end
common, native of the male’s intestine is straight. Water fleas have a
single, compound eye.

BEHAVIORS
Water fleas can be found throughout Illinois in
almost any body of water. They prefer open water.
These small arthropods migrate up in the water at
night and down in the day, although a few live on
the bottom. Water flea populations generally consist
only of females in the spring and summer.
Reproduction at these times is by parthenogenesis
(males not required for eggs to develop). In the fall,
males are produced, and they mate with the
females. Fertilized eggs are deposited to “rest” on
the bottom until hatching in the spring or even many
years later. Water fleas eat bacteria and algae. They
have a life span of several weeks.

ILLINOIS RANGE

© Chris Young, SJ-R

© Illinois Department of Natural Resources. 2021. Biodiversity of Illinois.

Unless otherwise noted, photos and images © Illinois Department of Natural Resources.
 © Center for Freshwater Biology, Department of Biological Sciences
University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824 USA

© Illinois Department of Natural Resources. 2021. Biodiversity of Illinois.

Unless otherwise noted, photos and images © Illinois Department of Natural Resources.
Aquatic Habitats
bottomland forests; lakes, ponds and reservoirs; Lake Michigan;
marshes; peatlands; rivers and streams; swamps; temporary water
supplies; wet prairies and fens

Woodland Habitats
bottomland forests; southern Illinois lowlands

Prairie and Edge Habitats

none

© Illinois Department of Natural Resources. 2021. Biodiversity of Illinois.

Unless otherwise noted, photos and images © Illinois Department of Natural Resources.