E-Fauna Photo Gallery

Daphnia pulex  (Water Flea)

Photo of Daphnia pulex by Ian Gardiner
© Ian Gardiner (Photo ID #66337)

Photographer's Submitted Details

Photo Location Brooks, Alberta Photographer Ian Gardiner
Habitat Small, shallow lake
Photo Date June 04, 2014 Upload Date June 09, 2014
Elevation (m)
UTM Zone # Latitude
UTM Easting Longitude
UTM Northing Photo ID # 66337
Notes Ephippia floating at the margin of lake. These may be dispersed to other basins by wind, insects, birds, and mammals. The ephippium provides protection for the resting eggs against dessication (this particular lake will dry up in Summer), freezing, and the digestive enzymes in the guts of fish and birds. When favourable conditions return the following Spring, and melting snows once again fill the grassland depressions with water, these resting eggs will provide the seed for a new generation of Daphnia pulex.


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