Scapholeberis (surface water flea)
Scapholeberis spp. · Aquatic life
Under the microscope · Photo: Ivan Sinkov / CC BY
Also called Scapholeberis kingi, Scapholeberis mucronata
How to identify Scapholeberis (surface water flea)
- Small water flea about 0.5 to 1 mm
- Hangs upside down from the underside of the water surface
- Straight, often dark bottom edge of the shell with short spines at the rear corner
- Feeds on the surface film
Similar species
Simocephalus hangs on plants rather than the surface; Daphnia swims freely in open water.
Profile
| Season | Summer. |
|---|---|
| Depth | Just under the water surface |
| How it spreads or reproduces | Females clone themselves through summer; resting eggs in a dark saddle (ephippium) survive drying and freezing and ride on birds, boots and boats |
| Habitat | Calm, sheltered shallows of ponds, marshes and ditches, often among emergent plants. |
Why it matters in a lake
A harmless grazer of the surface film in calm, sheltered water.
Where it is found
- Idaho: Occasional
- Oregon: Occasional
- Wyoming: Occasional
Classification
| Kingdom | Animalia |
|---|---|
| Phylum | Arthropoda |
| Class | Branchiopoda |
| Order | Anomopoda |
| Family | Daphniidae |
| Scientific name | Scapholeberis spp. |
Daphnia (water flea)
Bosmina (snout water flea)
Ceriodaphnia (small water flea)
Chydorus (round water flea)
Simocephalus (hanging water flea)
Diaphanosoma (clear water flea)
Moina (lagoon water flea)
Alona (box water flea)
Sida (sticky water flea)
Leptodora (giant water flea)Need a hand?
Found it in your lake?
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Idaho / Wyoming (208) 501-4531Oregon (541) 280-0596