Ceriodaphnia
Anatomy: Ceriodaphnia has six pairs of lobed legs which bear numerous
hairs.
Their head is bent downwards and is set from the body by a
cervical sinus. The
head also has two large secondary antennas that are
positioned laterally near
the posterior margin. (Pennak, 1989) The
Ceriodaphnia’s mouth is located near
the junction of the head and body. The
Ceriodaphnia’s body is covered by a
carapace which allows protrusion of only
the head and abdomen. One of the
Ceriodaphnia’s most noticeable features
is its large compound eye.
Reproduction: The Ceriodaphnia reproduces
parthenogenetically, which means the
Ceriodaphnia can reproduce without
fertilization of the egg. The egg undergoes a
single maturation division in
the ovary and a number are released at a time by
the oviducts. (Pennak, 1989)
Usually 10-20 eggs are released. Ecological Niche:
Ceriodaphnia are very
diverse as they can live in either oxygen rich or oxygen
poor environments
due to their ability to synthesize hemoglobin. Ceriodaphnia
live in all
regions of lakes and ponds whether it is on the surface or near the
bottom
soil. Ceriodaphnia serves as the main food source for the Hydra in
an
ecosystem. Notes of Interest: Ceriodaphnia feed on green algae. They also
have
thoracic appendages that are modified phyllopodia that has bristles for
food
collecting and respiratory functions. (Prescott, 1978)