Ephippial
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Ephippia (singular: ephippium) are winter or dry-season eggs of the various species of small crustacean in the order
Cladocera The Diplostraca or Cladocera, commonly known as water fleas, is a superorder (biology), superorder of small, mostly freshwater crustaceans, most of which feed on microscopic chunks of organic matter, though some forms are predatory. Over 1000 sp ...
(within the
Branchiopoda Branchiopoda, from Ancient Greek βράγχια (''bránkhia''), meaning "gill", and πούς (''poús''), meaning "foot", is a class (biology), class of crustaceans. It comprises Anostraca, fairy shrimp, clam shrimp, Diplostraca (or Cladocera), ...
); they are provided with an extra shell layer, which preserves and protects the resting stages inside from harsh environmental conditions until the more favorable times, such as spring, when the reproductive cycle is able to take place once again. Ephippia are part of the back of a mother carrying them until they are fully developed. After molting, the ephippium stays in the water, or in the soil of dried puddles, small ponds, and
vernal pool Vernal pools, also called vernal ponds or ephemeral pools, are seasonal pools of water that provide habitat for distinctive plants and animals. They are considered to be a distinctive type of wetland usually devoid of fish, and thus allow the saf ...
s. The resting stages are often called eggs, but are in fact embryos with arrested development. Ephippia can rest for many years before the embryo resumes development upon an appropriate hatching stimulus.


See also

* '' Bythotrephes longimanus'' (invasive species) * '' Cercopagis pengoi'' (invasive species) * ''
Daphnia ''Daphnia'' is a genus of small planktonic crustaceans, in length. ''Daphnia'' are members of the Order (biology), order Anomopoda, and are one of the several small aquatic crustaceans commonly called water fleas because their Saltation (gait), ...
'' ** '' Daphnia longispina'' ** '' Daphnia lumholtzi'' (invasive species) ** ''
Daphnia magna ''Daphnia magna'' is a small planktonic crustacean (adult length 1.5–5.0 mm) that belongs to the subclass Phyllopoda. Description ''Daphnia magna'' is a typical water flea of the genus ''Daphnia''. The females reach up to 5 mm in ...
'' (large species) ** ''
Daphnia pulex ''Daphnia pulex'' is the most common species of water flea. It has a cosmopolitan distribution: the species is found throughout the Americas, Europe, and Australia. It is a model species, and was the first crustacean to have its genome sequenced. ...
'' (small, most common) * ''
Moina ''Moina'' is a genus of crustaceans within the family Moinidae. The genus was first described by William Baird (physician), W. Baird in 1850. They are referred to as water fleas, but are related to the much larger ''Daphnia magna'' and the large ...
'' (smallest)


References


Further reading

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External links

Branchiopoda Fishkeeping Freshwater crustaceans {{Branchiopoda