Eucyclops (weed bed copepod)
Eucyclops spp. · Aquatic life
Under the microscope · Photo: Aleksandr Novikov / CC BY
Also called Eucyclops serrulatus, Cyclopoid copepod, Eucyclops agilis
How to identify Eucyclops (weed bed copepod)
- Slender teardrop body about 0.8 to 1.5 mm
- Short antennae and two egg sacs on females
- Tail branches often long with a row of tiny teeth (seen by the lab)
- Crawls and darts among plants
Similar species
Macrocyclops is larger and stouter; other cyclopoids look similar by eye.
Profile
| Season | Spring through fall. |
|---|---|
| Depth | Among plants and near the bottom |
| How it spreads or reproduces | Sexual reproduction; paired egg sacs |
| Habitat | Weedy shallows of ponds, ditches, marshes and lake edges. |
Why it matters in a lake
A common plant bed copepod that eats small animals, algae and detritus and is food for fish and insects.
Where it is found
- Idaho: Common
- Oregon: Common
- Wyoming: Common
Classification
| Kingdom | Animalia |
|---|---|
| Phylum | Arthropoda |
| Class | Copepoda |
| Order | Cyclopoida |
| Family | Cyclopidae |
| Scientific name | Eucyclops spp. |
More copepod
Copepod nauplii
Acanthocyclops (cyclopoid copepod)
Diacyclops (cyclopoid copepod)
Leptodiaptomus (calanoid copepod)
Mesocyclops (cyclopoid copepod)
Macrocyclops (large cyclopoid copepod)
Cyclops (cyclopoid copepod)Skistodiaptomus (calanoid copepod)
Hesperodiaptomus (mountain lake copepod)Epischura (large calanoid copepod)
Acanthocyclops (cyclopoid copepod)Diacyclops (cyclopoid copepod)Leptodiaptomus (calanoid copepod)Mesocyclops (cyclopoid copepod)Macrocyclops (large cyclopoid copepod)Cyclops (cyclopoid copepod)Skistodiaptomus (calanoid copepod)Hesperodiaptomus (mountain lake copepod)Epischura (large calanoid copepod)Need a hand?
Found it in your lake?
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