- water flea
- noun Date: circa 1585 any of various small active dark or brightly colored aquatic crustaceans (as a daphnia or cyclops)
New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.
water flea
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Water flea — is a generic term for a number of small aquatic crustacea characterised by their jumping or jerky mode of swimming. Most are between 0.1 mm and 3 mm in length. Most commonly, they will be species of Daphnia but a number of other genera are also… … Wikipedia
Water flea — Wa ter flea (Zo[ o]l.) Any one of numerous species of small aquatic Entomostraca belonging to the genera {Cyclops}, {Daphnia}, etc; so called because they swim with sudden leaps, or starts. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
water flea — n. any of an order (Cladocera) of mostly freshwater branchiopods; esp., any of a genus (Daphnia) commonly found in ponds and used to feed fish in aquariums … English World dictionary
water flea — any of various small crustaceans that move about in the water like fleas, as those of the genus Daphnia. [1575 85] * * * Any of about 450 species (order Anomopoda) of microscopic, mostly freshwater crustaceans distributed worldwide. Species in… … Universalium
water flea — wa′ter flea n. ivt any tiny freshwater branchiopod crustacean of the order Cladocera, as the daphnia • Etymology: 1575–85 … From formal English to slang
water flea — noun 1. minute free swimming freshwater copepod having a large median eye and pear shaped body and long antennae used in swimming; important in some food chains and as intermediate hosts of parasitic worms that affect man e.g. Guinea worms • Syn … Useful english dictionary
water flea — Daphnia are used as food for fish in aquaria … Dictionary of ichthyology
water flea — noun Any of various aquatic crustacea characterised by their jumping or jerky mode of swimming; mostly species of Daphnia … Wiktionary
water flea — noun another term for daphnia … English new terms dictionary
water flea — /ˈwɔtə fli/ (say wawtuh flee) noun any of various small aquatic crustaceans of the order Cladocera, as the C. daphnia, which swim with characteristically jerky movements …
