ON the surface of the water is a single Cyclopean eye. Close by, an unsuspecting water flea bounces along until, in an interlocking of multiple limbs, it is trapped then held as the owner of the eye slowly plucks it to pieces. Meet the giant water flea (Leptodora kindtii), the largest water flea in the UK and a stealthy, raptorial carnivore.
Water fleas are a fascinating group of aquatic crustaceans – mostly small, filter-feeding and planktonic – that make up a large component of many freshwater habitats. They bob around and graze on microscopic plant plankton, effectively turning those green sunlight-converters into animal protein that percolates its way up the food chain. In short, if it wasn’t for water fleas then we wouldn’t have newts, fish or dragonflies.
This story is from the July 2023 edition of BBC Wildlife.
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This story is from the July 2023 edition of BBC Wildlife.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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