cladoceran

noun

cla·​doc·​er·​an klə-ˈdä-sə-rən How to pronounce cladoceran (audio)
: any of an order (Cladocera) of minute chiefly freshwater branchiopod crustaceans that includes the water fleas

Examples of cladoceran in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web So there’s branchiopods, ostracods, copepods, cladocerans...and besides the crustaceans, there’s a lot more. Christopher Intagliata, Scientific American, 3 May 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cladoceran.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

New Latin Cladocera, a division of the branchiopods (from clado- clado- + -cera, borrowed from Greek -kera, neuter plural of -keros "having a horn of the kind specified," derivative of kéras "horn") + -an entry 1 — more at horn

Note: The taxon was introduced by Pierre André Latreille (1762-1833) in Georges cuvier, Le Règne animal distribué d'après son organisation, nouvelle édition (Paris, 1829), tome 4, Crustacés, arachnides et partie des insectes "par M. Latreille," p. 151. The name, literally "the ones having branched horns," refers to the water flea's branching antennae.

First Known Use

1909, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cladoceran was in 1909

Dictionary Entries Near cladoceran

Cite this Entry

“Cladoceran.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cladoceran. Accessed 6 Oct. 2024.

Last Updated: - Definition revised
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