Water fleas

Code OG079999

MOINIDAE: A family of the Cladocera (water fleas). One of the families with no posteroventral spine and no rostrum. The postabdomen is distinctive, with a bifurcate tooth just behind the terminal claw, and this character suffices to separate Moinidae from the other non-rostrate, non-spinulate families.

The ocellus may be present or absent. If the latter, the antennules may be long and thin or short and broad.

There are two genera of Moinidae in Australia: Moinaand Moinodaphnia, both predominantly planktonic. Shiel (1995) keys the genera and species from Australian inland waters.

References:

Korovchinsky, N.M. (1992) The Sidiidae and Holopediidae (Crustacea: Daphniiformes). Guides to the Identification of the Microinvertebrates of the Continental Waters of the World. 3: 1-82. SPB Academic Publishers, The Hague.

Shiel, R.J. (1995) A Guide to Identification of Rotifers, Cladocerans and Copepods from Australian Inland Waters. Co-operative Research Centre for Freshwater Ecology Identification Guide No. 3., Albury, NSW.

Smirnov, N.N. and Timms, B.V. (1983) Revision of the Australian Cladocera (Crustacea). Records of the Australian Museum Supplement 1: 1-132.