Great Lakes Water Life Photo Gallery

Zooplankton - Waterfleas

Cladoceran Field Guide

Carapace Setae

Carapace Setae Characteristics

Patterns setae (hairs) on the charapace are useful features for distinguishing cladoceran taxa to genus/species. Because delicate setae are easily damaged, setae lack should not be accepted as conclusive. Setae patterns may vary within a species - species capable of exhibiting more than one pattern are listed in multiple locations.

None
>20 Great Lakes spp.

Inconspicuous
~9 Great Lakes species

Inconspicuous Carapace Setae on Daphnia lumholtzi

Sparse (anterior and ventral)
7 Great Lakes species

Sparse setae on the anterior half of the ventral surface of Bosmina

Regular - Posterior 1/2 of Ventral Only
2 Great Lakes Species

Regular - Ventral Only
29 Great Lakes species

Disparalona with arrows pointing to ventral setae

Irregular or patterned - Ventral Only
Camptocercus spp.

Camptocercus rectirostris with line depicting setae pattern

Irregular or patterned - Ventral and Posterior - Not branching
3 Great Lakes species

Acantholeberis with arrow pointing to posterior setae

Irregular or patterned - Ventral and Posterior AND Individual Setae Branching
Ilyocryptus spp.

Ilyocryptus with inset showing branching of setae

Photos courtesy of:
Southwest Missouri State University Zooplankton Project
Waterfleas - Jan Parmentier & Wim van Egmond
BioImages: The Virtual Field-Guide (UK). Cladocera.
KLS

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