Calanus copepodite?

Apr 25, 2017 • 1:46 PM UTC

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140x Magnification

Microorganisms

bray1624

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I selected a small copepod to try out my first real attempt at a dry mount, again using a glass slide and cover slip. I was unable to get my phone to focus on something this small, but here you can see that the copepod is about 2mm long.

I tried not to crush my specimen, which I had a hard time with using smaller zooplankton. That may also be part of the reason it is difficult to focus under the cover slip.

I scanned the sides of my specimen first, using the foldscope, because I expected these to show more detail as the light shone through them. I’m thinking this may be a calanus , due to the sort or rolly-polly-like abdomen with clear segments. The legs are very hook-like, which is a juicy surprise that makes my sample look extra dynamic.

Concentrating on the front legs, I started to get a sense of how old this guy might be, if not what species. Panning around some more, I think I see that the legs have some hair-like structures. To me this looks like evidence that it may be an early copepodite, that is an immature copepod that has just completed its naupilus stage in which its limbs would look like hairs.