Daphnia Pulex: The Water Flea

Biology
[caption id="attachment_6098" align="alignright" width="440"] Daphnia - photo by Paul Hebert[/caption] Although there are other species, Daphnia pulex comes to mind when one thinks of the water flea. The tiny crustacean. D. pulex is cosmopolitan. That word means it is found throughout the cosmetic (surface) layer of the planet. The National Institutes of Health informs us that the water flea is “a versatile model system to investigate” biological systems. Also to investigate matters such as immunity, disease, and cellular function. Appearance Variability The image with this article, reveals the great beauty of this tiny creature. Enjoy this instructive one minute video. Another video, one-half minute in length, displays daphnia in an aquarium. The water flea's name comes from its appearance and jerky motions controlled by its antennae. These resemble arms with…
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