Cladocera

Cladocera is an order of small branchiopod crustaceans, commonly called water fleas. Most live in freshwater and swim using large, leaflike antennae.

Branchiopoda: A class of mostly freshwater crustaceans whose limbs often serve in swimming, feeding, or respiration. Cladocerans are branchiopods with a distinctive body plan and swimming style.
Filter feeding: Feeding by straining suspended particles from water or another fluid. Many cladocerans use trunk limbs to filter algae and other small particles.
Daphnia: A genus of freshwater cladocerans commonly called water fleas. This well-studied genus anchors research on cladoceran ecology and physiology.
Bosmina: A genus of small planktonic cladocerans common in lakes and ponds. Its compact form and distinctive appendages make it a recognizable planktonic water flea.
Crustacean: An arthropod group characterized by a segmented body, jointed limbs, and a chitinous exoskeleton. Cladocerans belong to this broader arthropod group.
Induced defense: A defensive trait expressed in response to environmental cues, such as signals from predators. Some water fleas develop protective changes when they detect predator cues.
Daphnia pulex: A small freshwater cladoceran and a model organism in ecological and genomic research. Its genome and rapid reproduction support studies of adaptation and environmental response.
Moina: A genus of small cladocerans found in freshwater, often in temporary or nutrient-rich habitats. Moina illustrates cladoceran success in warm, productive waters.
Carapace: A hard covering that protects part or most of an animal's body. Most cladocerans have a bivalved carapace enclosing the trunk and brood chamber.
Diel vertical migration: Regular daily movement of aquatic organisms between different depths in the water column. Some cladocerans move deeper by day and nearer the surface at night to reduce predation risk.

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