Gaetanus brevispinus (Sars, 1900)
A common midwater copepod of the Arctic
Size
- Eggs 0.32 mm embryo, 0.75 mm including hyaline outer membrane
- Arctic, females 3.8-4.4 mm prosome, 5-5.5 mm total length
- Gobally, females 3.6-4.9 mm, males 2.3-4.1 mm
Color & Characteristics
- Anterior body and digestive track strongly red colored
- Posterior corners of prosome (body) with moderate spine
- Urosome (tail) ~ 1/3 prosome
- Antennae equal to or longer than total length
- Mouth parts and antennae typcial of a predator
Habitat
- Cosmopolitan in deep waters, but most common in polar waters
- In the Arctic, range from near surface to 1500m, with peak depth between 100 and 750m
- In mid-latitudes generally much deeper, down to 3000 m
Feeding
- Predatory on other zooplankton, primarily other copepods
Life cycle
- In the Arctic, females spawn 2-6 large eggs, likely only once per season
- Life expectancy unknown, potentially 2-3 years
Page Author: Russ Hopcroft
Created: Feb 14, 2009
