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UTAS Home > IMAS Home > Image Key > Cladocera >  Penilia avirostris

Penilia avirostris

Dana (1849)

Download a fact sheet for Penilia avirostris (PDF 277KB)

Taxonomy

Phylum Arthropoda
Subphylum Crustacea
Class Branchiopoda
Subclass Phyllopoda
Order Diplostraca
Suborder Cladocera
Family Sididae
Genus Penilia
Species avirostris

Size

  • Female: 0.7 - 1.4 mm
  • Male: 0.6 - 1.3 mm

Distinguishing characteristics

  • Body oval, carapace ending in long spine
  • Antennule clearly separated from the lower side of head
  • Legs short, 1st leg not elongated

Male

  • Carapace narrowing & strongly pointed in lateral view but without marked spine
  • Last segment of endopodite of leg 1 with small hook

Female

  • Egg-shaped in lateral view; brood pouch with a large, marked spine

Distribution

Ecology

References

  • Flößner, D., (1972) Kiemen- und Blattfüßer, Branchiopoda; Fischläuse, Branchiura. Die Tierwelt Deutschlands, 60. Teil. Gustav Fischer Verlag, Jena.