Taxonomic Atlas

of the Copepods
(Class Crustacea: Subclass Copepoda: Orders Calanoida,
Cyclopoida, and Harpacticoida)
Recorded at the
Old Woman Creek
National Estuarine Research Reserve
and State Nature Preserve, Ohio
by

Jakob A. Boehler and Kenneth A. Krieger

National Center for Water Quality Research

Heidelberg University
Tiffin, Ohio, USA 44883

August 2012
 Atlas of the Copepods,
(Class Crustacea: Subclass Copepoda)
Recorded at the Old Woman Creek
National Estuarine Research Reserve
and State Nature Preserve, Ohio

Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful for the funding for this project provided by Dr. David Klarer, Old
Woman Creek National Estuarine Research Reserve. We appreciate the critical
reviews of a draft of this atlas provided by David Klarer and Dr. Janet Reid. This work
was funded under contract to Heidelberg University by the Ohio Department of Natural
Resources.

This publication was supported in part by Grant Number H50/CCH524266 from the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Its contents are solely the responsibility of
the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention.

The Old Woman Creek National Estuarine Research Reserve in Ohio is part of the
National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS), established by Section 315 of
the Coastal Zone Management Act, as amended. Additional information about the
system can be obtained from the Estuarine Reserves Division, Office of Ocean and
Coastal Resource Management, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S.
Department of Commerce, 1305 East West Highway – N/ORM5, Silver Spring, MD
20910. Financial support for this publication was provided by a grant under the Federal
Coastal Zone Management Act, administered by the Office of Ocean and Coastal
Resource Management, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Silver
Spring, MD.
Copies of this publication are available from the
Ohio Department of Natural Resources - Division of Wildlife
2514 Cleveland Road East
Huron, Ohio 44839

This publication can be downloaded at

www.heidelberg.edu/academiclife/distinctive/ncwqr/research/reports
Introduction
Both the formal biologist and the amateur
naturalist often encounter lists of animals
and plants when they read published
scientific reports and visit nature centers.
Rarely do they have ready access to
photographs for each member of the list.
This document constitutes one of several
chapters of a comprehensive atlas of the
biota of the Old Woman Creek coastal
wetland system (OWC) along Lake Erie
in Ohio. This chapter provides a detailed
pictorial record of a group of aquatic
invertebrate animals called copepods.
Invertebrates occur in great abundance
in freshwater ecosystems, including
Great Lakes wetlands such as the
marshes, swamps and open water that
make up OWC. A few of those
invertebrates, such as freshwater
mussels, grass shrimps, and giant water
bugs, are easy to see because of their
large size. Many freshwater
invertebrates, however, including the
copepods, are so small that special
attention must be given to collecting –
and seeing – them. Thus, most
invertebrates go unnoticed by casual
visitors to aquatic habitats. Furthermore,
once collected, the ability to distinguish
one species of copepod from another
requires careful observation through a
compound microscope.
Copepods, in the subclass Copepoda of
the class Crustacea, are present in a
wide variety of freshwater habitats with
slow or no water currents, especially
lakes, ponds and wetlands. Foods of
copepods include detritus, bacteria,
phytoplankton and other small animals,
depending on the species and life stage.
Copepods themselves are very important
as food for many species of larval and
juvenile fishes as well as the adults of
zooplanktivorous fishes. A relatively few
kinds of copepods are ectoparasites of
fishes rather than free-living, and those
are not considered here. An extensive
description of the classification,
morphology, life history, and ecology of
copepods is provided by Williamson and
Reid (2010; see citations on page 6).
This atlas presents detailed photographs
of critical diagnostic features that permit
the correct identification to species of
most free-living copepods found at OWC.
Characteristics of Copepods
Every copepod begins its life as an egg,
which is carried by the female in one or
two egg sacs (see below). Following
sexual reproduction, the fertilized egg
(zygote) develops within the egg sac into
an embryo, which hatches as a nauplius
(pl: nauplii) larva. The nauplius bears
little resemblance to an adult copepod,
as seen here.
Copepod nauplii: lateral view (left) and
dorsal view (right)
The nauplius molts five times (six
naupliar stages), each time adding new
appendages and adding more segments
to existing appendages. Upon the sixth
molt, the nauplius is transformed into a
copepodid juvenile, which resembles an
adult. The copepodid molts five times
(six stages), becoming a copepodid adult
(male or female) upon the final molt.
General features of a adult copepods are
shown on this and the next page. The body
of a copepod is elongate, cylindrical, and
clearly segmented. In most copepods, the M
body is divided by a distinct articulation into
two regions: the metasome (M) and the BC MA
urosome (U). Cyclopoid and harpacticoid
copepods have a body constriction (BC),
or articulation, between the thoracic U
segments containing the fourth and fifth pairs
of legs. However, calanoid copepods have a
body constriction between the metasome
and urosome. In the calanoids and
cyclopoids the segments following the body
constriction are distinctly narrower than the
preceding segments. All body segments of Dorsal-Lateral View
harpacticoids are similar in size.
Harpacticoid (Attheyella illinoisensis)
The metasome is separated into the head
(H) and thorax (T) regions. The first 500 µm T H
segment of the thorax is often fused with the
head forming the cephalic region. Head
structures include the first antennae (or
antennules) (A), second antennae (SA),
rostrum (R), eye (E) and maxillipeds
(mouthparts) (MA). The right antennule of
adult male calanoids is geniculate (abruptly E
bent) (GB), whereas both antennules are Dorsal View
bent on adult male cyclopoids and
harpacticoids. The antennules of all female Cyclopoid (female with two egg sacs )
copepods lack geniculation.

SA R
Dorsal View Dorsal View

GB

Cyclopoid (female Macrocyclops albidus) Cyclopoid (male Macrocyclops albidus)

The thorax contains five segments, each Dorsal View
with one of a pair of swimming legs (SW).
The first four pairs of swimming legs are
typically biramous, consisting of an endopod
(inner branch) (EN) and exopod (outer
branch) (EX). These branches of the
swimming legs can have numerous spines
(SP) and setae (SE) on them. The fifth pair
of swimming legs is much more varied in
structure than the preceding pairs and is
often useful for identification purposes. For
example, in some male copepods the fifth MW
leg is modified into a hook for grasping the
female during reproduction. The last AB GS
thoracic segment of calanoids may have
metasomal wings (MW). LS
CR
The urosome is separated into the genital
segment (GS), abdomen (AB), and a pair of CS
caudal rami (singular, ramus) (CR) that
possess lateral setae (LS) and caudal setae Calanoid (female Eurytemora affinis)
(CS). The genital segment of harpacticoids
and cyclopoids may have a pair of vestigial
sixth legs. This sixth pair of legs is typically
more developed in males. Adult female
calanoids and harpacticoids carry one egg
sac (ES) ventrally on the genital segment, S
whereas cyclopoids carry two egg sacs
ventrally. Adults of both sexes can be found
ES Lateral View
with one or more spermatophores (S) on
the genital segment, as the spermatophores 200 µm
are passed from the male to the female
during reproduction. Calanoid (female Leptodiaptomus siciloides)

EX SP

SE
EN
Ventral View
SW
Calanoid swimming leg (Epischura
lacustris) Calanoid
 Layout of this Atlas
The following pages are organized
alphabetically by order, family, genus and
species. Investigators have identified 23
species of copepods in five families
(Ameiridae, Canthocamptidae, Cyclopidae,
Diaptomidae, Temoridae) within the OWC
wetland system and nearby in Lake Erie.
This publication should not be used as
the sole source to identify the copepods
of OWC because it is likely that additional
families, genera, and species will be found
in new collections. The references cited on
this page should be used to obtain
definitive identifications.
Each species of copepod is illustrated and
described on a single page of this atlas.
Because the identifying features of each
order and the particular family are repeated
on each page, the page for each species
can be used independently. Each
characteristic described is true of both
adult males and females unless otherwise
stated. Photographs are labeled with
identifying letters and lines or brackets that
indicate diagnostic structures. Some
photographs show specimens collected
within OWC; specimens from other
ecosystems were used if they were of
superior quality. The exact specimens
photographed are recorded at the bottom
of the page.
Beneath the descriptive features, each
page lists where within OWC the species
has been found. That information was
derived from reports cited by Herdendorf
et al. (2001)*. It is likely that future
collections will reveal some of the species
in additional habitats. The general ecology
of the species is briefly summarized,
including its habit (such as a swimmer or
crawler) and its functional feeding group
(such as predator)**.
All taxonomic information on each page
was derived from a combination of five
references, which are abbreviated as
shown below followed by the page
number(s):
BK&D = Balcer, Mary D., Nancy L. Korda
and Stanley I. Dodson. 1984. Zooplankton
of the Great Lakes: A Guide to the
Identification and Ecology of the Common
Crustacean species. The University of
Wisconsin Press.
HRLS = Hudson, Patrick L., Janet W. Reid,
Lynn T. Lesko, and James H. Selgeby. 1998.
Cyclopoid and Harpacticoid Copepods of the
Laurentian Great Lakes. Ohio Biological
Survey Bulletin NS 12(2).
P = Pennak, R. W. 1989. Fresh-Water
Invertebrates of the United States:
Protozoa to Mollusca. 3rd Ed. John Wiley &
Sons, Inc.
SM = Suárez-Morales, Eduardo., Marcelo
Silva-Briano, and Manuel Elías-Gutiérrez.
2000. Redescription and taxonomic validity
of Leptodiaptomus cuauhtemoci (Osorio-
Tafall, 1941) (Copeopod, Calanoida), with
notes on its known distribution. Journal of
Limnology, 59(1):5-14.
R&W = Reid, Janet W. and Craig E.
Williamson. 2010. Chapter 21. Copepoda.
In: J. H. Thorp and A. P. Covich (Eds.).
Ecology and Classification of North American
Freshwater Invertebrates. 3rd Ed. Academic
Press.
* Herdendorf, C.E., R.C. Herdendorf, and D.M.
Klarer. 2001. Catalogue of the invertebrate fauna
of Old Woman Creek estuary, watershed, and
adjacent waters of Lake Erie. Technical Report
No. 12. Old Woman Creek National Estuarine
Research Reserve & State Nature Preserve,
Huron, Ohio.
** The habit and functional feeding group
information is generalized to the Order level for
each specimen unless otherwise noted.
 Checklist of Species of Free-Living
Copepods Reported in the OWC Wetland
System
Specimens reported as collected at OWC but not identified in this atlas because of
the unavailability of specimens are indicated with an asterisk (*).

Order Calanoida Family Cyclopidae (continued)

Family Diaptomidae Diacyclops thomasi (S.A. Forbes)

Leptodiaptomus ashlandi (Marsh) Eucyclops agilis (Koch)

Leptodiaptomus minutus (Lilljeborg) Eucyclops elegans (Herrick)

Leptodiaptomus sicilis (S. A. Forbes) Macrocyclops albidus (Jurine) s.str.

Leptodiaptomus siciloides (Lilljeborg) Mesocyclops edax (S. A. Forbes)

Skistodiaptomus oregonensis (Lilljeborg) Microcyclops varicans rubellus (Lilljeborg)*

Skistodiaptomus pallidus (Herrick) Paracyclops poppei (Rehberg)

Family Temoridae (= P. fimbriatus poppei)*

Tropocyclops prasinus mexicanus Kiefer

Epischura lacustris S. A. Forbes

Eurytemora affinis (Poppe)

Order Harpacticoida
Family Ameiridae
Order Cylcopoida
Nitocra hibernica (Brady)*
Family Cyclopidae
Family Canthocamptidae
Acanthocyclops vernalis sensu lata (Fischer)
Attheyella (Neomrazekiella) illinoisensis
(=Acanthocyclops vernalis-robustus
group) (S. A. Forbes)

Diacyclops cf. navus (Herrick)* Bryocamptus sp. Chappius, s.l.*

Diacyclops nearcticus Kiefer* Canthocamptus robertcokeri M. S. Wilson

 Crustacea: Copepoda: Calanoida:
Diaptomidae: Leptodiaptomus ashlandi

Features of Order Calanoida

Dorsal View
Distinct narrowing of the body between the genital
segment and the segment bearing the fifth legs (A)
Antennules generally reach to or past caudal rami (B)
Right antennule of adult males geniculate (C)
A Adult females typically with one egg sac (not shown)
M B ♀ Features of Family Diaptomidae
Female urosome 2-4 segmented (D)
Ventral View Dorsal View
200 µm Legs 1-4 with 3-segmented rami except leg 1 endopod
2-segmented (not shown)
Left antennule of males and both antennules of
J females typically 25-segmented (E)
H 1
Caudal rami terminate in 5 caudal setae of
N comparatively equal length (F)
D 2
♀ F
Features of Genus Leptodiaptomus
One seta on segment 11 of left male and both female

♀
antennules (G)
1 Female terminal segment of exopodite of fifth leg
2
3
♀ 12
34
5 extremely reduced (i.e., a short seta and small
spine are present near the spine of exopod 2) (H)
4
5 Robust spines on segments 10,11, and 13 of male
6 K right antennule (I)
7
8
9 Features of species ashlandi
10 Metasomal wings of female asymmetrical with left
11 wing longer than right wing (J)
12 L Male right leg 5 with large lateral spine located on the
proximal 1/3rd of terminal segment (K)
13
14 ♂ Right antennule of male with a long slender projection
from the antepenultimate segment (L)
15 C Size of 0.90 to 1.4 mm long (M)
Expanded lateral projections lacking from genital
E 16 segment of females (N)
17
Ventral View Where Recorded at Old Woman Creek
18 I Planktonic habitats
19 50 µm
General Ecology
20 13
21 Habit: Swimmers
11 11
10 Functional feeding groups: Omnivores; filter feeders
22
23 G References: BK&D 41-45, 82-84; P 414; SM 5; R&W
24 863-865
25
Photographs: Zooplankton CE 97 780621 CLEVE
♀ ♂ WQL (composite images: all images)
 Crustacea: Copepoda: Calanoida:
Diaptomidae: Leptodiaptomus minutus

Features of Order Calanoida

A Distinct narrowing of the body between the genital
segment and the segment bearing the fifth legs (A)
Antennules generally reach to or past caudal rami (B)
Right antennule of adult males geniculate (C)
Adult females typically with one egg sac (not shown)
Lateral View I
B Features of Family Diaptomidae
Female urosome 2-4 segmented (not shown)
Legs 1-4 with 3-segmented rami except leg 1 endopod
2-segmented (D)
Left antennule of males and both antennules of
females typically 25-segmented (E)
Caudal rami terminate in five caudal setae of
comparatively equal length (not shown)

Features of Genus Leptodiaptomus

Dorsal View
C ♂ One seta on segment 11 of left male and both female
antennules (not shown)
Female terminal segment of exopodite of fifth leg
♂ extremely reduced (i.e., a short seta and small
spine are present near the spine of exopod two)
(not shown)
Robust spines on segments 10,11, and 13 of male
right antennule (F)
H 1 Features of species minutus
2 Metasomal wings of female symmetrical and rounded
3
♂ 4 (not shown)
Leg 1 E 5 Leg five endopods of female greatly reduced (not
6 shown)
G 7 Expanded lateral projections lacking from genital
8 segment of females (not shown)
9 Geniculate right antennule of males with a slender
10 projection from the antepenultimate segment (G)
11 Exopod of male right fifth leg with a small medial
1 12
1 13 lateral spine (H)
Size of 0.8 to 1.0 mm long (I)
2 14
2
15 Where Recorded at Old Woman Creek
3 16 Planktonic habitats
17
General Ecology
♂ ♂ 18 Habit: Swimmers
19 Functional feeding groups: Omnivores; filter feeders
20
F 21 References: BK&D 41-45, 84-87; P 414; SM 5; R&W
13
♂
863-865
D 22
Photographs: Zooplankton CE 97 780621 CLEVE
23 WQL (composite images: all images)
11 24
25
10
 Crustacea: Copepoda: Calanoida:
Diaptomidae: Leptodiaptomus sicilis

Features of Order Calanoida

A Distinct narrowing of the body between the genital
segment and the segment bearing the fifth legs (A)
Antennules generally reach to or past caudal rami (B)
Right antennule of adult males geniculate (not shown)

Dorsal View L B ♀ Adult females typically with one egg sac (not shown)

Features of Family Diaptomidae

Ventral View Female urosome 2-4 segmented (C)
Legs 1-4 with 3-segmented rami except leg 1 endopod
2-segmented (D)
13 Left antennule of males and both antennules of
females typically 25-segmented (E)
Caudal rami terminate in five caudal setae of
comparatively equal length (F)
H Features of Genus Leptodiaptomus
One seta on segment 11 of left male and both female
11 antennules (not shown)
Female terminal segment of exopodite of fifth leg
extremely reduced (i.e. a short seta and small
10 spine are present near the spine of exopod two)
(G)
♂ ♂ K
50 µm Robust spines on segments 10,11, and 13 of male
right antennule (H)

1 23
♀ Dorsal View
C ♀ Features of species sicilis
4 Metasomal wings pointed and triangular (I)
56 F Expanded lateral projections lacking from genital
segment of females (J)
78 5 Exopod of male right leg five with a large medial
9 4 lateral spine on terminal segment (K)
10 I J 1 2
3
Right antennule of male with a long slender projection
11 from the antepenultimate segment (similar to that
♀♀
12 of L. ashlandi) (not shown)
13 50 µm G Size of 1.0 to 1.9 mm long (L)
14
15 Where Recorded at Old Woman Creek
1 1 Planktonic habitats
E 16 General Ecology
17 Habit: Swimmers
18 2 Functional feeding groups: Omnivores; filter feeders
2
19
20 References: BK&D 41-45, 87-89; P 414; SM 5; R&W
50 µm

3 863-865
21
22 D Photographs: Lake Erie at Old Woman Creek, sta. L,
23 Erie Co., Ohio 840427 K. Krieger (male images)
24 Zooplankton CE 97 780621 CLEVE WQL (female
25 Leg 1 images)(composite images: top image and lower
Ventral View three images of E,D, and G)
 Crustacea: Copepoda: Calanoida:
Diaptomidae: Leptodiaptomus siciloides

Features of Order Calanoida

M N Distinct narrowing of the body between the genital
segment and the segment bearing the fifth legs (A)
Antennules generally reach to or past caudal rami (B)
Right antennule of adult males geniculate (C)
1 Adult females typically with one egg sac (D)
2
3
4
5
6
89
C A Features of Family Diaptomidae
7 1112 Female urosome 2-4 segmented (E)
10 13 Legs 1-4 with 3-segmented rami except leg 1 endopod
14
15 2-segmented (not shown)
16
17 J
F 18
19
Left antennule of males and both antennules of
20 females typically 25-segmented (F)
21
22 Caudal rami terminate in five caudal setae of
B P
♂ 25 comparatively equal length (G)
Lateral View 23
24
Features of Genus Leptodiaptomus
One seta on segment 11 of left male and both female
11 antennules (H)
Female terminal segment of exopodite of fifth leg
extremely reduced (i.e. a short seta and small
spine are present near the spine of exopod two) (I)
O Robust spines on segments 10,11, and 13 of male
H ♂ right antennule (J)

♀ K Features of species siciloides

Genital segment of female with prominent, pointed
lateral wings (K)
1 Metasomal wings pointed of female (L)
E 3rd urosomal segment longer than 2nd segment of
2 female (E)
3 Right leg 5 exopod of male with a large lateral spine
that is medial in position (M)
Male Right leg five terminal claw smoothly curved (N)
G
♂ Right antennule of male with short process on
antepenultimate segment (O)
Size of 1.0 to 1.3 mm long (P)
I Where Recorded at Old Woman Creek
1
Planktonic habitats
2 General Ecology
3 4 5 Dorsal View
Habit: Swimmers
Functional feeding groups: Omnivores; filter feeders
L
References: SM 5; R&W 857-859, 863-864; BK&D 90;
P 414

Photographs: Zoop-Open-3 12 July 07 (composite

Ventral View image: lower two images) (phase contrast: image
O and H)
20
µm Dorsal View D
 Crustacea: Copepoda: Calanoida:
Diaptomidae: Skistodiaptomus oregonensis

Features of Order Calanoida

M Distinct narrowing of the body between the genital
A segment and the segment bearing the fifth legs (A)
Antennules generally reach to or past caudal rami (B)
B Right antennule of adult males geniculate (C)
Adult females typically with one egg sac (not shown)

♀Lateral View Features of Family Diaptomidae

Female urosome 2-4 segmented (D)

♀ ♂ Legs 1-4 3-segmented rami except leg 1 endopod 2-

segmented (not shown)
123 C Left antennule of males and both antennules of
45
6 females typically 25-segmented (E)
78 Caudal rami terminate in five caudal setae of
9 comparatively equal length (F)
10 Dorsal View
E 11 Features of Genus Skistodiaptomus
12 One seta on segments 11 and 15-17 of both female
G L antennules, and left male antennule (G)
13 K
Leg 5 of male terminal segment of exopod with
14 Ex. Seg. processes differently shaped and one process
2
long, the other short (H)
15 Ex.
Female metasomal wings not reaching level of lateral
Seg.
16 1 sensilla (not shown) of genital segment
Features of species oregonensis
17
H Metasomal wings of female rounded on posterior
18 corners (I) with a small sensilla (J)
19 Left leg 5 of male reaching to approximately base of
End- apical claw of right leg five (K)
20 opod
Segment 2 of male exopod left leg 5, ½ to ¾ length of
21 segment 1 of leg 5 (L)
22 ♂ Size of 0.97 to 1.2 mm long (M)
23 Where Recorded at Old Woman Creek
Dorsal View Planktonic and benthic habitats
24 General Ecology
Habit: Swimmers
25
Functional feeding groups: Omnivores; filter feeders
♀ References: B 782, 792-793; BK&D 42-43, 91-93; P
♀ 414, 428; R&W 858
Photographs: LTLA8 = VE4 L. Erie vertical tow 22,
August 2006 (multiple specimens used for the
5 J images from same location) (composite image:
4 I middle right image)
3 2 FLateral
D View
1
 Crustacea: Copepoda: Calanoida:
Diaptomidae: Skistodiaptomus pallidus

♀ Lateral View Features of Order Calanoida

Distinct narrowing of the body between the genital
A segment and the segment bearing the fifth legs (A)
Antennules generally reach to or past caudal rami (B)
Right antennule of adult males geniculate (C)
Adult females typically with one egg sac (D)

M B D Features of Family Diaptomidae

Female urosome 2-4 segmented (E)
Legs 1-4; 3-segmented rami except leg 1 endopod 2-

C
200 µm
♀ segmented (not shown)
Left antennule of males and both antennules of
females typically 25-segmented (F)
Caudal rami terminate in five caudal setae of
comparatively equal length (G)
♂ Features of Genus Skistodiaptomus
L J One seta on segments 11 and 15-17 of both female
♂ Ventral View antennules, and left male antennule (H)
Dorsal View Leg 5 of male terminal segment of exopod with
processes differently shaped and one process
1 long, while the other is shorter (I)
2 Female metasomal wings not reaching level of lateral
3 sensilla (J) of genital segment
4
K 5
Features of species pallidus
6
7 Left fifth leg, exopod 2 inner process long and tapered
8 in males (K)
9
I 10 Female metasomal wings rounded (L)
11 Size of 0.7 to 1.2 mm long (M)
12
13
♀ 14
15
Where Recorded at Old Woman Creek
Planktonic and benthic habitats; sediment of open
water and lotus bed
16
Lateral View
E ♀ F
17
18
General Ecology
Habit: Swimmers
19 Functional feeding groups: Omnivores; filter feeders
5 20
4 21
G 1 3
2 References: BK&D 38-43, 115; P 414; R&W 865-866;
22
23
24 Photographs: Lake Mohawk 4-22-08 JB: collected by
16 17 25 Josh Bierbaugh (composite image: middle left
15 image)
11

H ♀
 Crustacea: Copepoda: Calanoida:
Temoridae: Epischura lacustris

Features of Order Calanoida

Lateral View
♀ Distinct narrowing of the body between the genital
A segment and the segment bearing the fifth legs (A)
Antennules generally reach to or past caudal rami (B)
Right antennule of adult males geniculate (C)
Adult females typically with one egg sac (not shown)

Features of Family Temoridae

B L Female with 3-segmented urosome (D) (twisted in
image therefore segments not easily distinguished)

♀
Antennules of females and left antennule of males 24-
I 25 segmented (B)
Legs 1-4; 3-segmented exopods (E)
Leg 1 endopod 1-segmented (F) while legs 2-4
endopods of 1 or 2 segments (G)
Caudal rami with less than 5 caudal setae (H)
Lateral View D
H
Features of Genus Epischura
Leg 4 3 2 1 Ventral View Outer setae of caudal rami shorter than rami, and/or
E spiniform (I)
G No long apical spine on last segment of female leg 5

♀
(J) or left leg 5 of males

Features of species lacustris

Leg 1 Three broad terminal setae on caudal rami (H)
Twisted urosome of females (D) with short, thick
spines on the outer corners of caudal rami (I)

♀ F Ventral View Right side of male urosome with enlarged lateral

process (K)
Size of 1.4 to 2.0 mm long (L)
♀
Where Recorded at Old Woman Creek
J Planktonic and benthic habitats
General Ecology
Ventral View Ventral- Habit: Swimmers
Lateral Functional feeding groups: Omnivores; filter feeders
View K
References: BK&D 41, 78; P 414; R&W 867
C
Photographs:Zooplankton CW 82 78 10 11 R CLEVE

♂ (images of females)

♂
LTLA8=VE4 L. Erie vertical tow 22 August 2006
(images of males)
 Crustacea: Copepoda: Calanoida:
Temoridae: Eurytemora affinis

Features of Order Calanoida

A M Distinct narrowing of the body between the genital
segment and the segment bearing the fifth legs (A)
Antennules generally reach to or past caudal rami (B)
(In this genus the antenna does not reach past caudal
rami.)
♀ J
Dorsal View
B Right antennule of adult males geniculate (not shown)
Adult females typically with one egg sac (not shown)
Dorsal View
♀ Features of Family Temoridae
Female with 3-segmented urosome (C)
Antennules of females and left antennule of males 24-
25 segmented (D)
4 Legs 1-4; 3-segmented exopods (E)
3 Leg 1 endopod 1-segmented (F), while legs 2-4
L C H 2 endopods of 1 or 2 segments (G)
1 Caudal rami with less than 5 caudal setae (H)

♀ Features of Genus Eurytemora

Antennules not reaching tips of metasomal wings (B)
No endopods on fifth legs of males or females (I)
D Leg 1 endopod one-segmented (F), whereas legs 2-4
endopods two-segmented (G)

♀ G Features of species affinis

Females with enlarged, pointed metasomal wings (J)
Inner process of exopod 1 of female fifth leg strongly
directed backwards (K)
One pair of lateral processes present on genital
Leg 4 E segment of female (L)
Male fifth legs expanded inwardly forming a triangular
shape on the inner margin of the basal second
Leg 1
♀
basal segment (not shown)
Ventral Caudal rami with four caudal setae (H)
Ventral View Size of 1.0 to 1.5 mm long (M)
View Leg 5
Where Recorded at Old Woman Creek
K Planktonic habitats
I General Ecology
Habit: Swimmers
F Functional feeding groups: Omnivores; filter feeders

References: P 414, 428; B 752-753; BK&D 40, 80;

R&W 867
♀ Photographs: Zooplankton vertical tow L. Erie LV61
781008 S Lorain WQL [bottom images (phase contrast)
100 µm and second image]
Zooplankton CE 97 780621 CLEVE WQL
 Crustacea: Copepoda: Cyclopoida:
Cyclopidae: Acanthocyclops vernalis sensu lata (=
Acanthocyclops vernalis-robustus group)
♀ A
Dorsal View C H
Features of Order Cyclopoida
Antennules not typically reaching beyond the genital
segment (not shown)
Narrowing of body between segments bearing the
fourth and fifth pairs of legs (A)
Fifth leg small and first segment not enlarged on the
inside margin (B)
Both antennules geniculate in adult males (not shown)
Typically adult females carry two egg sacs (C)

Features of Family Cyclopidae

♀
Mandibular palp either absent, or of a minute segment
with one to three setae (not shown)
D Features of Genus Acanthocyclops*
Ventral Segment 2 of leg 5 with an apical seta and small
View spine, less than ½ length of segment 2, slightly
distal to middle of segment, or nearly apical (D)
B Inner margin of caudal ramus with or without hairs (E)
Antennules of 11-17 segments (F)

Features of species vernalis sensu lata**

Female antennules 17 segmented (F)
Inner surface of caudal ramus smooth or with tiny
spinules or fine hairs (E)
Caudal ramus greater than three times longer than
wide (G)
Large species, 1.0 to 2.0 mm long (H)

♀ Where Recorded at Old Woman Creek

Planktonic and benthic habitats; sediments: lotus bed,
open water, and sedge meadow
General Ecology
Habit: Swimmers
12 Functional feeding groups: Omnivores, predators,
3
4 detritivores; filter feeders
5
6 References: HRLS 18-27; BK&D 95; R&W 843-844,
7
8
G 869-872, 875-876; P 414
9 Photographs: Plankton A Mohawk Static 9-8-98 (top
10 Ventral and lower right images) (composite images)
11
12
13
E View Coote’s Paradise Lake Ontario 24-26 Oct. 2010 Tori
14
F Vaccariello (middle and lower left images)
15 (composite images)
16
17 * According to R&W, Acanthocyclops is a cosmopolitan
genus with many species. The speciose nature of
this genus leads to rather generalized descriptions
♀
Dorsal
for the genus features listed above.
View ** The specimens shown on this page are members of
the Acanthocyclops vernalis-robustus group.
According to R&W, this group contains the following
species: A. vernalis, A. brevispinosus, A.
carolinianus, A. robustus, A. einslei, and A. trajani.
The representative specimen from this group shown
here is A. robustus.
 Crustacea: Copepoda: Cyclopoida:
Cyclopidae: Diacyclops thomasi

Features of Order Cyclopoida

Antennules not typically reaching beyond the genital
A B segment (A)
Narrowing of body occurs between segments with the
fourth and fifth legs (B)
Fifth leg small and first segment not enlarged on the
inside margin (C)
Both first antennae geniculate in males (not shown)
Dorsal View
H ♀ Features of Family Cyclopidae
Mandibular palp either absent, or of a minute segment
Ventral ♀ with one to three setae (not shown)
View
Features of Genus Diacyclops
Leg five with an inner subapical spine longer than
D segment two (D)
Typically without hairs on the inner margins of the
caudal rami (E)
Female antennules with 17 segments (not shown)
C
Features of species thomasi
Caudal ramus roughly six to seven times longer than
wide (F)
Lateral seta inserted about midlength of distance from
base to apex of caudal ramus (G)
Size from 0.9 to 1.4 mm long (H)

♀ Where Recorded at Old Woman Creek

Planktonic and benthic habitats; sediments; open
water, lotus bed, drowned OWC channel at upper
end of wetland
G
General Ecology
F Habit: Swimmers
Functional feeding groups: Omnivores, predators
E detritivores, and filter feeders

Dorsal References: HRLS 18-27; BK&D 45-48, 96-98;R&W

View 843-844, 869-872, 878-880; P 414

Photographs: Zooplankton CW 82 781011 R CLEVE

WQL (composite images: all images)
 Crustacea: Copepoda: Cyclopoida:
Cyclopidae: Eucyclops agilis

Features of Order Cyclopoida

Antennules not typically reaching beyond the genital
A segment (not shown)
Narrowing of body occurs between segments with the
fourth and fifth legs (A)
♀ Fifth leg small and first segment not enlarged on the
inside margin (B)
F Dorsal view Both first antennae geniculate in males (not shown)
~ 25 µm
♀ Features of Family Cyclopidae
Mandibular palp either absent, or of a minute segment
D with one to three setae (not shown)
Dorsal
view
Features of Genus Eucyclops
Caudal ramus of females with a row of small spines
C on the outer margin (C)
~103 Caudal ramus typically more than four times as long
µm as wide (D)
Antennules with 12 segments (E)

Features of species agilis

Caudal ramus less than 5 times as long as wide (D)
Size from 0.6 to 1.5 mm long (F)

Where Recorded at Old Woman Creek

Sediment of open water, lotus bed, drowned OWC

♀
channel at upper end of wetland.

♀
Vegetated estuary: epiphytic; planktonic habitats
B 1 23
4
5
6 General Ecology
7 Habit: Swimmers
8 Functional feeding groups: Omnivores, carnivores,
and detritivores
Dorsal 9
view 10 References: BK&D 47, 115; R&W 843-844; P 414;
E HRLS 18-22
11
Photographs: Coote’s Paradise Lake Ontario 24-26
Oct. 2010 Collected by: Tori Vaccariello (top
12 image)
OWC Plankton Lotus Bed 20111011 JAB (lower three
images: phase contrast)
 Crustacea: Copepoda: Cyclopoida:
Cyclopidae: Eucyclops elegans

Features of Order Cyclopoida

Dorsal view B ♀ Length of first antennae not typically reaching beyond
the genital segment (A)
Narrowing of body occurs between segments with the
fourth and fifth legs (B)
A Fifth leg small and first segment not enlarged on the
F inside margin (not shown) (see E. agilis fifth leg
image as the general shape is similar with E.
elegans having longer setae than E. agilis)
Both antennules geniculate in males (not shown)
Dorsal
D Features of Family Cyclopidae
view
~ 21 µm Mandibular palp either absent, or of a minute segment
with one to three setae (not shown)

Features of Genus Eucyclops

Caudal ramus of females with a row of small spines
on the outer margin (C)
Caudal ramus typically more than four times as long
as wide (D)
C Antennules with 12 segments (E)
~125
µm
Features of species elegans
Caudal ramus more than five times as long as wide
(D)
Size from 1.25 to 1.4 mm long (F)

Where Recorded at Old Woman Creek

Planktonic and benthic habitats; sediments of open
water, lotus bed, drowned OWC channel at upper
end of wetland

General Ecology
♀ Habit: Swimmers
Functional feeding groups: Omnivores, carnivores,
detritivores

♀ E
11
10 9 8
76
5
References: BK&D 47, 115; R&W 843-844; P 414;
HRLS 18-22
12 4
3
2 Photographs: Zooplankton OWC West Island edge of
1 phragmites bed T-1 July 2006
 Crustacea: Copepoda: Cyclopoida:
Cyclopidae: Macrocyclops albidus

Features of Order Cyclopoida

♂ A Length of first antennae not typically reaching beyond
H the genital segment (A)
B Narrowing of body occurs between segments with the
fourth and fifth legs (B)
Fifth leg small and first segment not enlarged on the
inside margin (C)
Dorsal
Both antennules geniculate in males (A)
view
Features of Family Cyclopidae
Ventral C
Mandibular palp either absent, or of a minute segment
view
with one to three setae (not shown)
D
Features of Genus Macrocyclops

♀
Fifth legs two segmented with distal segment broad
and bearing three spines and/or setae (D)
Antennules with 17 segments (E)
Dorsal
view F
♀ Features of species albidus
1 Hairs absent on inner margin of caudal ramus (F)
2
3 Hyaline membrane of antennule segment 17 with fine
4 comb-like teeth on margin (G)
5 Size from 0.79 to 2.5 mm long (H)
6
7 Where Recorded at Old Woman Creek
Sediment of open water, lotus bed, drowned OWC
8
channel at upper end of wetland
9
10
11 General Ecology
E Habit: Swimmers
12
Functional feeding groups: Omnivores, predators,
13 G and detritivores
14
15 References: BK&D 38, 116; P 414; R&W 843-844,
854, 868-870

16 Photographs: TW Ackerman Ditch June 30, 2011

Ekman #1 P: ¼ (top and middle right images: dark
field)
17

♀
 Crustacea: Copepoda: Cyclopoida:
Cyclopidae: Mesocyclops edax

Features of Order Cyclopoida

A I ♀ Length of first antennae not typically reaching beyond
the genital segment (not shown)
Narrowing of body occurs between segments with the
fourth and fifth legs (A)
Fifth leg small and first segment not enlarged on the
Lateral View inside margin (B)
Both first antennae geniculate in males (not shown)
Dorsal
view D Features of Family Cyclopidae
Mandibular palp either absent, or of a minute segment
with one to three setae (not shown)

Features of Genus Mesocyclops

♀ F
Subterminal inner spine on distal segment of fifth leg,
or in the middle of the margin (C)
Lateral seta of caudal ramus in middle third of ramus
(D)
Female terminal segment (17) of antennules typically
3 or more times longer than wide (E)

Features of species edax

H
Caudal ramus inner surface with hairs (F) and rami
typically divergent

♀
Terminal seta (G) of leg 5 shorter than inner spine of
G distal segment (H)
Size of 0.7 to 1.5 mm long (I)
Ventral E
view Where Recorded at Old Woman Creek
Benthic habitats; sediment of open water and lotus
bed

General Ecology
Habit: Swimmers
Functional feeding groups: Omnivores, detritivores,
B predators, and filter feeders

References: BK&D 100; R&W 843-844; P 414; HRLS

2nd 25
Seg.
Photographs: V1 17, July 2009 Lake Erie (composite
♀
1st image: all images)
C Seg.
 Crustacea: Copepoda: Cyclopoida:
Cyclopidae: Tropocyclops prasinus mexicanus

Features of Order Cyclopoida

C E F Length of first antennae not typically reaching beyond
the genital segment (A) (note that top right portion
of this specimens head is damaged)
Narrowing of body occurs between segments with the
fourth and fifth legs (B)
Fifth leg small and first segment not enlarged on the
B inside margin (not shown)
A Both antennules geniculate in males (not shown)
Typically adult females carry two egg sacs (C) (note
Dorsal
♀ view
that the right egg sac is missing)

Features of Family Cyclopidae

Mandibular palp either absent, or of a minute segment
with one to three setae (not shown)
D
Features of Genus Tropocyclops
Last two segments of female first antennae more than
three times longer than wide (D)
Body rounded with little sclerotization and often dark
green or blue in color (E) (note that top right portion
of this specimens head is damaged)
Antennules with 12 segments (not shown)
♀
Features of species prasinus mexicanus
Small (0.5 to 0.8 mm) (F)
♀ 1st antennae reaches genital segment (A)
G Caudal ramus less than four times as long as wide,
with no small spines on outer lateral margin (G)

Where Recorded at Old Woman Creek

Planktonic and benthic habitats; sediments of open
water and lotus bed

General Ecology
Habit: Swimmers
Functional feeding groups: Omnivores, carnivores,
detritivores and filter feeders

References: BK&D 46, 102; HRLS 22; R&W 843-844;

P 414
Dorsal
view Photographs: OWC Zooplankton Lotus Bed 20111011
JAB (top two images)
OWC Zooplankton Near Phragmites Bed 20111011
JAB (lower image: composite photo) Note that
Dorsal views of T. pr. mexicanus some of the caudal setae are broken off.
 Crustacea: Copepoda: Harpacticoida:
Canthocamptidae: Attheyella (Neomrazekiella)
illinoisensis

♀
Features of Order Harpacticoida
B
Metasome not conspicuously distinct from the
urosome (A)
Metasome Antennules shorter than the cephalic segment (B)

A Features of Family Canthocamptidae

Urosome Female antennules with6-9 segments (typically 8) (not
shown)
Leg 5 of two conspicuous segments (C)
H
Dorsal-Lateral View Features of Genus Attheyella
Leg 1 endopod segment 1 reaching to or beyond the
middle of segment 3 of exopod (D)
Female endopod of legs 2 and 3, is 2 segmented (not
Leg shown)
1 Female with 6 setae on the basal expansion of leg 5
G none of which tiny (E)
Endopod of male leg 2 is not modified (not shown)

1
Features of species illinoisensis
2 F Outer margin of female caudal ramus not constricted
1 in distal half (F)
3 Outer caudal setae not modified (G)
D 2 Leg 4 of males without modified spines on segment 3
of exopod (not shown)
3 Size of 0.85 to 1.0 mm long (H)

♀
Where Recorded at Old Woman Creek
Benthic habitats; sediments of open water
Ventral View
♀ Ventral View General Ecology
Habit: Crawlers/runners

♀
Functional feeding groups: Omnivores; mostly
scrapers or detritivores

C References: BK&D 38; R&W 843-844,884-885; B 840,

846, P 414

Photographs: Snuff Ditch CR 38 Seneca County, OH

Ekman #1 June 22, 2011 (composite images used
for lower three images)
E
Dorsal View
 Crustacea: Copepoda: Harpacticoida:
Canthocamptidae: Canthocamptus robertcokeri*

Features of Order Harpacticoida

Metasome is not conspicuously distinct from the
Dorsal urosome (not shown)
view st
1 antennae are shorter than the cephalic segment
(A)

Features of Family Canthocamptidae

A Female first antenna contains 6-9 segments (typically
8) (B)
Leg 5 comprised of two conspicuous segments (C)

8
7 Features of Genus Canthocamptus
1 3456 Next from outermost seta of female leg 5 endopod tiny
(D)
B 2
♀ Spinous process on outer corner of last segment of
endopod of leg 4 (male) (not shown)

Ventral
view
♀ Features of species robertcokeri
Outer apical seta of caudal ramus extremely slender
(E) and typically smooth
Leg five male exopod with five setae (not shown)
D
Row of spines on posterior end of caudal rami (F)
Size of 0.55 to 0.80 mm long (not shown)

Where Recorded at Old Woman Creek

Benthic habitats; sediment of open water, lotus bed

General Ecology
Habit: Crawlers/runners
C Functional feeding groups: Omnivores and detritivores

References: R&W 882-884, 893-894; P 414

F
Photographs: Zooplankton CE90R L. Erie 780525
(phase contrast: all images)

*Note there is no image of the entire specimen for this

species.

♀ Dorsal
view E