Copepods

REGION/HABITAT aaaa•freshwater and marine aaaa•semiterrestrial habitats aaaa•small pools between the leaves of some tropical plants aaaa•crab burrows, tree holes, etc. aaaa•symbiotic relationships with other organisms aaaa•parasitize vertebrates and invertebrates alike aaaa•dominant form of marine plankton aaaa•outnumber insects FEEDING aaaa***calanoids, cyclopoids and harpacticoids are extremely important because they form the aaaaaafirst link in the aquatic food chain*** aaaa•Calanoida (particle feeders) aaaaaa•mouth appendages produce a water current from anterior to posterior aaaaaa•food receptors detect food aaaaaa•maxillae open and water is sucked in aaaaaa•chamber closes and water is pressed out aaaaaa•algal cell is trapped between the bristles of the maxillae aaaa•Harpaticoida aaaaaa•feed on algae or microbes that cover the substrate aaaa•some species are parasitic REPRODUCTION aaaa•sexual aaaa•females produce eggsacks CHARACTERISTICS aaaa•small crustaceans (less than 1mm long) aaaa•organisms lack gills aaaa•3 body parts aaaa•head aaaaaa•single central eye aaaaaa•two antennae aaaa•thorax aaaaaa•6 segments, each with two pairs of legs aaaa•abdomen aaaaaa•lacks appendages

Pictures:

Cyclops	Pontellina plumata
Sapphirina auronitens

Helpful Links:

Copepods This link provides information on copepods as well as a full classification of the copepods.

World of Copepods This is a link to the "World of Copepods", complete with overview information, pictures and classification.