Daphnia

[ daf-nee-uh ]

noun

1. a genus of tiny, freshwater crustaceans having a transparent body, used in biological research and as food for tropical fish.

daphnia

/ ˈdæfnɪə /

noun

1. any water flea of the genus Daphnia, having a rounded body enclosed in a transparent shell and bearing branched swimming antennae

Word History and Origins

Origin of Daphnia¹

1840–50; < New Latin, perhaps after Daphne; -ia

Word History and Origins

Origin of Daphnia¹

C19: from New Latin, probably from Daphne

Example Sentences

Tiny snails and shrimp known as daphnia eat algae and provide additional food for the fish.

From Los Angeles Times

Scientists led by Marilyn Rampersad Mackiewicz and Stacey L. Harper assessed how spherical and triangular-shaped silver nanoparticles with five different surface chemistries affected their uptake and toxicity in a laboratory microcosm of bacteria, algae, Daphnia and embryonic zebrafish.

From Science Daily

Daphnia are tiny crustaceans, and zebrafish are a small freshwater species that go from a cell to a swimming fish in about five days.

From Science Daily

"For example, there is a decrease in bacterial and Daphnia growth, and the size and shape of the particles can contribute to that, but the nanoparticles didn't affect zebrafish," she said.

From Science Daily

"And nanoparticles coated in lipids, organic compounds found in many natural oils and waxes, did not release significant amounts of silver ions -- but they exhibited the greatest toxicity to Daphnia magna, the most sensitive species in the microcosm."

From Science Daily