Holarctic Clam Shrimp
Lynceus brachyurus
This record describes Lynceus brachyurus (species). Recorded family: Lynceidae. Recorded order: Diplostraca.
Identification and Appearance
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Branchiopoda
- Order
- Diplostraca
- Suborder
- Laevicaudata
- Family
- Lynceidae
- Genus
- Lynceus
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Author: O. F. Müller, 1776
About Diplostraca: the wider group
Order-level background for Diplostraca, the group containing Lynceus brachyurus. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Diplostraca includes ~3,500 described species of water fleas (Daphnia) and clam shrimp. Daphnia are among the most studied organisms in ecology and toxicology - they reproduce by parthenogenesis, producing only females under good conditions.
Ecological role of the group
Daphnia are keystone species in freshwater food webs - they filter algae from water and are primary prey for fish. A single Daphnia can filter up to 4 mL of water per hour, and their populations can dramatically improve water clarity in lakes.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Daphnia are the global standard test organism for aquatic toxicology (EPA, OECD). They are essential in aquaculture as live food for fish fry. The Daphnia genome was the first crustacean genome to be sequenced (2011).
Recorded sources for this group: EPA ecotoxicology, freshwater ecology, genomics. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Holarctic Clam Shrimp (2)
Photo credits: Contributed by Charley Eiseman