Small, Shrimp-like Zooplankton

Copepods

These small crustaceans have two long, distinct antennae and make up the majority of zooplankton found in Delaware Bay and the mid-Atlantic. They are holoplankton, meaning they remain planktonic for their entire lives. Most copepods feed on phytoplankton and small bacteria, but some are raptorial and feed on smaller crustaceans.  All are key food sources for small fish throughout the estuary.  Above are some common copepod species for Delaware, and below is a short video of copepods in action. Can you identify the copepod species in the video?