Great Lakes Water Life Photo Gallery

Zooplankton - Waterfleas

Cladoceran Field Guide

Disparalona

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Genus Disparalona

For morphological terms see: Cladocera Anatomy

The Genus Disparalona is a group of small waterfleas including just 2 Great Lakes species. Fine features of the postabdomen and carapace are used to distinguish among species - necessitating use of a high-powered light microscope at a minimum.

0.37-0.59mm
Valves striated without a conspicuous projection at the anteroventral margin. Posterior margin without teeth along the entire length. Rostrum longer than 1st antennae recurved and reaching the ventral margin, but extending only slightly beyond the tips of the terminal olfactory setae. Postabdomen without a prominent preanal angle and not bent abruptly behind the anus and not expanded beyond the anus. Postabdomen with marginal denticles. Postabdominal claws without a secondary tooth, with one basal spine. Usually with 1 minute tooth at the inferoposterior angle.
Disparalona rostrata

0.22-0.4mm

Disparalona acutirostris

Photo Courtesy of:

KLS

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