Diurnal periodicity in Daphnia reproduction

The diurnal periodicity of reproduction in a reservoir population of Daphnia galeata Sars was tested by two methods (egg age distribution analyses and direct observation of hatching). No significant diurnal synchronization of reproduction in the natural cladoceran population was found. A conspicuous shortage of older embryonic stages was parallely revealed by analyses of diurnal changes of egg age distribution. Suggested selective feeding of fish on gravid females of Daphnia brooding embryos with black eye pigmentation is discussed.