This Microscope Monday 🔬 we invite you to marvel at a beautiful ventral view of a Daphnia (aka water flea). Here at FBA we absolutely love these amazing freshwater micro-crustaceans! Did you know that the Dutch naturalist and pioneering microscopist Jan Swammerdam (1637–1680) is credited as the first scientist to identify and describe water fleas? He also produced the earliest known detailed illustrations of the Daphnia water flea, which were published in his 1669 work Historia Insectorum Generalis (General History of Insects)... referring to the organism as Pulex aquaticus arborescens – "the water flea with the branching arms" – or according to Google translate... "water flea tree". How fabulous is that!? If you are intrigued by wee freshwater organisms, then you may like to check out our courses for 2026 and find out more about the wonderful world of freshwater biology.
This Microscope Monday 🔬 we present an adorable Daphnia.
Did you know that pioneering Dutch microscopist Jan Swammerdam (1637–1680) is credited as the first scientist to identify & describe #waterfleas? Referring to them as Pulex aquaticus arborescens: "the water flea with the branching arms". Fab!
