noun
- small freshwater crustaceans with branched antennae used for swimming, including water fleas
Usage: zoology; plural form
Examples
- Cladocerans are important members of freshwater plankton communities.
- The researcher studied cladocerans in the lake ecosystem.
- Daphnia is one of the most common genera of cladocerans.
- Fish larvae feed heavily on cladocerans during their early development.
- The pond contained numerous cladocerans that could be seen with a magnifying glass.
- Cladocerans reproduce rapidly when environmental conditions are favorable.