In short, she was a branchiopod, to be vulgarly precise, a water-flea.    From Wordnik.com.  ["Wee Tim'rous Beasties" Studies of Animal life and Character] Reference

Tadpole shrimp are large branchiopod crustaceans that occur in arctic Canada and on the prairies.    From Wordnik.com.  [Crustacea] Reference

Cladocera and other branchiopod crustaceans.    From Wordnik.com.  [Historical changes in freshwater ecosystems in the Arctic] Reference