copepods
Microscopic marine crustaceans
Copepods are tiny crustaceans found in vast numbers in oceans, lakes, and other bodies of water.
Most are less than a millimeter long.
They form a crucial link in aquatic food chains, consuming algae and microorganisms while serving as prey for fish, whales, and other marine life.
Some species are parasitic on fish.
Drifting aquatic microorganisms
- exoskeletonExternal skeletal structure
- antennaeSensory appendages on insects
- chitinArthropod shell polymer
- mandibleLower facial bone
carapace · amphipod · isopod · cyclops · thorax · abdomen · segmented · molting
Massive saltwater body
- pelagicOf the open sea
- seawaterSalty ocean fluid
- salinityDissolved mineral concentration
- phytoplanktonPhotosynthetic aquatic drifters
krill · nauplii · upwelling · currents · nekton · mesopelagic · bioluminescence · oceanography
Small freshwater bodies
- lakesLarge inland water bodies
- streamsContinuous flows of something
- limnologyStudy of inland waters
- zooplanktonDrifting aquatic microorganisms
daphnia · cyclops · reservoirs · wetlands · littoral · benthic · detritivore · algae
Ecosystem's feeding relationships
- grazerHerbivore eating low vegetation
- preyAnimal being hunted
- predatorOrganism that consumes others
- whalesMassive marine mammals
filter feeders · trophic · biomass · secondary consumers · bloom · productivity · abundance · seasonal
Parasitic marine copepods
- hostOne receiving guests
- infestationPest takeover situation
- aquacultureFarming underwater organisms
- salmon farmingCommercial fish cultivation
zooplankton
Drifting aquatic microorganisms
- exoskeletonExternal skeletal structure
- antennaeSensory appendages on insects
- chitinArthropod shell polymer
mandible · carapace · amphipod · isopod · cyclops · thorax · abdomen · segmented · molting · appendages
ocean
Massive saltwater body
phytoplankton · krill · nauplii · upwelling · currents · nekton · mesopelagic · bioluminescence · oceanography
ponds
Small freshwater bodies
zooplankton · daphnia · cyclops · reservoirs · wetlands · littoral · benthic · detritivore · algae · biofilm
foodweb
Ecosystem's feeding relationships
whales · filter feeders · trophic · biomass · secondary consumers · bloom · productivity · abundance · seasonal · reproduction
sea lice
Parasitic marine copepods
- hostOne receiving guests
- infestationPest takeover situation
- aquacultureFarming underwater organisms
copepodslobsters
Large edible sea crustaceans
king crabs · coconut crabs · American lobster · shrimp · krill
copepodswhales
Massive marine mammals
baleen whales · blue whales · whale sharks · basking sharks · manta rays