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Scientific Name: Oxyurella singalensis (Daday, 1898)
English Name: Water Flea
Local/Bangla Name: Pani Poka (পানি পোকা)
Zooplankton : Oxyurella singalensis

Photo: Bettina Harvey (iNaturalist)

Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Branchiopoda
Order: Anomopoda
Family: Chydoridae
Description:
The female of this species has a broadly oval body outline, with valves marked by dots and parallel lines along the ventral margin. The antennules extend to the apex of the rostrum. There are two separate main head pores positioned behind each other along the median line of the head shield. Additionally, there are four small pores: two situated between the main pores and one behind the other, with the other two located laterally about halfway between the main pores. The labral plate has a convex anterior margin and a blunt apex. The ocellus is smaller than the eye. The postabdomen slightly narrows towards the end and bears 11-13 anal spines, decreasing in size proximally, with the longest one at the distal end, preceded by a short denticle. Lateral setae are grouped and arranged in a row. The claw is large, with setae on its concave margin, a large basal spine at some distance from its base, and a small additional spine at its base. The length of the female ranges from 0.58 to 0.62 mm. The male has rounded corners at the back upper and lower parts of its valves, with the ventral margin having a convexity in the middle. There are shorter marginal setae before the convexity and longer setae behind it. The valves are indistinctly punctate. The postabdomen is almost uniformly wide but slightly tapers towards the end, with anal spines mainly confined to the rounded dorsal end. The ocellus is smaller than the eye, and the first leg features a well-developed blunt hook. The length of the male is 0.56 mm. Both sexes reproduce through parthenogenesis. The parthenogenetic females progress through multiple adult stages and produce batches of eggs, which are not released externally but instead are incubated within the mother’s brood pouch. Embryonic development takes place entirely within the brood pouch, and the young are eventually released as juveniles.
Habitat & Distribution in Bangladesh:
Commonly found in rivers in Bangladesh, such as the Halda River.
Environment:
Freshwater
Main References:

Ahmed ATA, Kabir SMH, Ahmad M, Rahman AKA, Haque EU, Ahmed ZU, Begum ZNT, Hassan MA, Khondker M (eds.) (2008) Encyclopedia of Flora and Fauna of Bangladesh, Vol. 18. Part II. Arthropoda: Crustacea. Asiatic Society of Bangladesh, Dhaka, 226 pp

DNA Barcodes from Bangladesh
GenBank Accession Number:
Other DNA Barcodes & Nucleutide Sequences
Global IUCN conservation status:
Other Information