Copepod
Paracalanus parvus
Paracalanus parvus is a tiny crustacean that drifts in the upper layers of the ocean.
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About this species
Species identity
Paracalanus parvus is a tiny crustacean that drifts in the upper layers of the ocean. First described in 1863 from European waters, it belongs to a group of free-living copepods that form a major part of marine plankton communities.
Although usually less than a millimeter long, this species plays an outsized role in ocean ecosystems. It feeds on microscopic algae and other small particles suspended in the water. In turn, it becomes food for fish larvae and many larger plankton feeders, helping transfer energy from microscopic plants to higher levels of the food web.
Its slender body and long antennae are adapted for life suspended in the water column, allowing it to swim in short bursts and remain afloat in constantly moving currents.
Reproduction takes place in the water column. Eggs hatch into larval stages that gradually develop through several molts before reaching adulthood, continuing the planktonic life cycle.
Where it lives
Paracalanus parvus is found in oceans around the world.
It occurs in most marine regions and is considered nearly cosmopolitan, meaning it lives across many parts of the global ocean.
It has not been recorded in Arctic waters.
Some reported records from the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean still need confirmation, meaning scientists continue to verify exactly where this species occurs.
Role in the ecosystem
Copepod helps explain how marine food webs function through its ecological role, habitat use, and connection to broader ecosystem change.
Scientific reference
Citation
Ocean Literacy Connections
This resource can be explored through Ocean biodiversity and One ocean, many features.
- How do ocean habitats support so many forms of life and interaction?
- How do different ocean places belong to one connected system?
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Open the primary consumer view and compare this species with related marine life.
