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Zooplankton - Waterfleas

Cladoceran Field Guide

Chydoridae Genera

  
Under construction!

Chydoridae Genera

For morphological terms see: Cladocera Anatomy

The Family Chydoridae is a group of usually small to very small waterfleas including 15 Great Lakes genera and more than 30 Great Lakes species. Fine features of the carapace and postabdomen are used to distinguish among genera and species - necessitating use of a high-powered light microscope at a minimum.
Unique features within this family are highlighted in green.

Large (to 3mm)
Eurycercus lamellatus
0.5mm. No compound eye.
Monospilus dispar
Monospilus dispar photo
0.35mm
Narrow posterior margin (much less than max height) and spherical or broadly ellipsoid body. Valves with a conspicuous projection at the anteroventral margin. Without a spine at the ventroposterior angle (tail).
Anchistropus minor
to 1.0 mm
Posterior margin not notably less than maximum height. Dorsal crest extending onto the head. Narrow postabdominal claws with a secondary tooth and both lateral and marginal denticles.
Genus Camptocercus
2 Great Lakes species
Camptocercus photo

to 1.0 mm
Posterior margin not notably less than maximum height. Dorsal crest which does not extend onto the head. Narrow postabdominal claws with a secondary tooth and both lateral and marginal denticles.
Kurzia latissima


Kurzia latissima photo

0.8-0.9mm
Posterior margin not notably less than maximum height. Postabdominal claws with a secondary tooth and only lateral denticles.
Acroperus harpae


Photo of Acroperus harpae

0.5-0.7mm
Posterior margin not notably less than maximum height. Rostrum not much longer than 1st antennae (2) and not narrowed abruptly (1) . Postabdominal claws without a secondary tooth. Very short carapace teeth forming an abbreviated tail (3).
Graptoleberis testudinaria
Graptoleberis testudinariaGraptoleberis photo with arrows marking  (1) curvature of rostrum and (2) tips of rostrum and 1st antennae Graptoleberis photo with arrows marking carapace teeth
0.8mm
Posterior margin not notably less than maximum height. Broad postabdominal claws with a secondary tooth and both lateral and marginal denticles.
Alonopsis elongata
0.5mm
Posterior margin not notably less than maximum height. Rostrum much longer than 1st antennae. Postabdominal claws without a secondary tooth. Postabdomen with 2-3 marginal denticles and numerous lateral denticles.
Rhynchotalona falcata
0.9-1.0mm
Posterior margin not notably less than maximum height. Rostrum not much longer than 1st antennae and abruptly narrowed at the tip. Postabdominal claws without a secondary tooth but with clusters of large spines. No carapace teeth forming a tail.
Genus Leydigia
2 Great Lakes species
Leydigia leydigiCloseup of Leydigia postabdomen
0.4-1.0mm
Posterior margin not notably less than maximum height. Rostrum not much longer than 1st antennae and abruptly narrowed at the tip. Postabdominal claws without a secondary tooth and without clusters of large spines.
Genus Alona
6 Great Lakes species
Alona affinis photoCloseup of Alona rostrum with arrows marking 1st antennae and curvature of rostrum
0.48mm
Valves striated. Rostrum longer than 1st antennae recurved and reaching the ventral margin, but extending only slightly beyond the tips of the terminal olfactory setae. Postabdomen with marginal denticles. Postabdominal claws without a secondary tooth, with one basal spine. Posterior margin without teeth along the entire length but usually with 1 minute tooth at the inferoposterior angle (1).
Genus Disparalona
2 Great Lakes species
Disparalona rostrata photo Disparalona photo showing striations along the dorsal surface of the carapace and with an arrow marking the inferoposterior tooth Disparalona photo with 1st antennae otline in red and an arrow marking the tip of the rostrum Disparalona postabdomen
0.2-0.5mm
Narrow posterior margin (much less than max height). Posterior margin may be notched or with a spine at the ventroposterior angle or with a small tooth at the inferoposterior angle (tail).
Genus Alonella
2 Great Lakes species
0.5-0.8mm
Narrow posterior margin (much less than max height) (1) and elongate body. Rostrum long, extending well past the tips of the olfactory setae but not curved forward (2) . Postabdominal claw with 2 major basal spines (3). Posterior margin without teeth along the entire length but with 1 or more very short carapace teeth forming an abbreviated tail.
Genus Pleuroxus
5 Great Lakes species
Pleuroxus photo with posterior margin bracketedPleuroxus rostrum with arrow indicating length and curvature of rostrum Closeup of Pleuroxus postabdominal claw
0.3-0.8mm
Narrow posterior margin (much less than max height) (1) and spherical or ovate body. Postabdomen short and broad with a prominent preanal angle (2). Without a spine at the ventroposterior angle (tail)(3).
Genus Chydorus
5 Great Lakes species
Chydorus sphaericus with (1) posterior margin bracketed, (2) Preanal angle marked with an arrow and (3) ventroposterior angle marked

Photos Courtesy of:
Globe icon indicates link to a non-NOAA site.Southwest Missouri State University Zooplankton Project
Globe icon indicates link to a non-NOAA site.Taxonomy of Cladocera - Ruediger Rudolf
Globe icon indicates link to a non-NOAA site.BioImages: The Virtual Field-Guide (UK). Cladocera.
Globe icon indicates link to a non-NOAA site.KLS
Globe icon indicates link to a non-NOAA site.BioImages: The Virtual Field-Guide (UK). Cladocera.
Globe icon indicates link to a non-NOAA site.Yokkaichi University

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