Marine Wildlife Encyclopedia
Water Flea Evadne nordmanni
The water flea feeds on planktonic organisms and is itself food for larger animals. It has a conspicuous eye and feathery swimming appendages, which are modified antennae. In spring, unfertilized eggs that have been nourished in a brood chamber by the female hatch as females. In fall, males and females are produced in the same way. A large egg is also produced sexually, which overwinters and then invariably develops into a female.
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- Subphylum Crustacea
- Length in (1 mm)
- Weight Not recorded
- Habitat Open waters, to depths of 6,500 ft (2,000 m)
- Distribution Temperate and cool waters worldwide
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