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Daphnia pulicaria
Phylum Arthropoda
Subphylum Crustacea
Class Branchiopoda
Suborder Cladocera
Family Daphniidae
 
Distinguishing Characteristics
  • Identified by elongate polygonal markings on the tip of the rostrum, marginal denticles extending more than half the length of the postabdomen and a relatively straight anterior margin of the head.
Ecology
  • Daphnia pulicaria is closely related to D. pulex, distinguishable primarily by its elongate polygonal structures on its rostrum. Although it is considered to be the “pulexDaphnia in large lakes, and, presence in a lake habitat is a key character used by Hebert (1999), in the Northeast USA it is often difficult to differentiate D. pulicaria from D. pulex. Forms with intermediate characters are frequently encountered, suggesting hybridization of these two species.
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