Daphnia

American  

[daf-nee-uh] / ˈdæf ni ə /

noun

1. a genus of tiny, freshwater crustaceans having a transparent body, used in biological research and as food for tropical fish.

---

daphnia British  

/ ˈdæfnɪə /

noun

1. any water flea of the genus Daphnia, having a rounded body enclosed in a transparent shell and bearing branched swimming antennae

---

Etymology

Origin of Daphnia

1840–50; < New Latin, perhaps after Daphne; -ia

Example Sentences

"For example, there is a decrease in bacterial and Daphnia growth, and the size and shape of the particles can contribute to that, but the nanoparticles didn't affect zebrafish," she said.

From Science Daily • May 10, 2024

Scientists expect the populations of those zooplankton, specifically Daphnia and Bosmina, to continue growing in 2023.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 11, 2023

Brans also is studying how the microbes that live in Daphnia guts differ between city and countryside.

From Scientific American • Mar. 25, 2022

For the estuary ecosystem, the scientists studied Inland Silverside and mysid shrimp, while in the freshwater ecosystem the scientists studied embryonic zebrafish and the crustacean Daphnia magna.

From Salon • Mar. 3, 2022

From M. Bert's observations on Daphnia, when placed in a vessel illuminated by a prism, we have reason to believe that even the lowest crustaceans can distinguish colours.

From The Descent of Man by Darwin, Charles