Daphnia

Daphnia is a genus of small planktoniccrustaceans, 0.2–6.0 mm (0.01–0.24 in) in length. Daphnia are members of the orderAnomopoda, and are one of the several small aquatic crustaceans commonly called water fleas because their saltatory swimming style resembles the movements of fleas. Daphnia spp. live in various aquatic environments ranging from acidicswamps to freshwater lakes and ponds.

The two most commonly found species of Daphnia are D. pulex (small and most common) and D. magna (large). They are often associated with a related genus in the order Cladocera: Moina, which is in the Moinidae group instead of the Daphniidae, and is much smaller than D. pulex (roughly half the maximum length). Another common species of Daphnia is D. pulicaria, often confused with D. pulex due to their similar appearances and ability to produce hybrids.