{"id":959,"date":"2016-05-26T02:25:35","date_gmt":"2016-05-26T09:25:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.evergreen.edu\/vms-spring\/?p=959"},"modified":"2016-06-04T14:47:02","modified_gmt":"2016-06-04T21:47:02","slug":"calanus-pacificus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.evergreen.edu\/vms-spring\/calanus-pacificus\/","title":{"rendered":"Calanus pacificus"},"content":{"rendered":"
Author: Kyle Ferris<\/span><\/h5>\n

<\/p>\n

The Basics<\/h5>\n

Calanus pacificus is a type of zooplankton, a planktonic crustacean related to shrimp and crabs. Calanus is just one specific species of copepod belonging to the order calanoida, which is one of the most common types of zooplankton globally, and can in fact be found in\u00a0Puget Sound, WA. Though they can vary in appearance, they are easily recognizable from other species of copepods by their antennae, which tend to be the length of their main body.<\/p>\n

Upon hatching from eggs, C. pacificus\u00a0will spend the majority of their life as mite-like, larval nauplius. Eventually, the nauplii will molt into a juvenile called a copepodite. This stage continues until the copepod\u00a0reaches sexual maturity, at which point it will have entered the\u00a0adult stage\u2014the final stage of its life. They will range in size from 2-4 millimeters.<\/p>\n

\"Copepod_Scan_001\"<\/a>

Life Cycle of C. pacificus<\/p><\/div>\n

Survivors<\/h5>\n

Calanoid copepods are not limited to just ocean environments, and can in fact be found in freshwater regions ranging from rivers, estuaries, marshes, and small bodies of standing water, such as ponds. Calanus pacificus is quite common in the Puget Sound area, and beyond that, can be found in great numbers throughout the Pacific Ocean. C. pacificus is primarily found closer to the water surface, where nutrients are more abundant–it is also where they will\u00a0lay their eggs. Even when C. pacificus is prevented access to a food source due to dramatic shifts to\u00a0phytoplankton numbers, their egg production seems to largely remains unchanged.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Miniature Predators<\/h5>\n
\"Calanus<\/a>

Calanus Pacificus Study<\/p><\/div>\n

Calanus plays an important role in aquatic food webs. As zooplankton they prey on smaller planktonic organisms such as diatoms, dinoflagellates, and other microplanktonic organisms, therefore they are a key player in transferring energy from lower trophic levels to higher ones, such as shrimp, fish, and larger marine mammals. C. Pacificus are high in protein, making them an ideal source of energy for many species of fish.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Calanus pacificus As A Disease Vector<\/h5>\n

Interestingly, Calanus pacificus californicus is believed to be a likely vector for white spot syndrome virus (WSSV). WSSV is a virus that targets shrimp. The virus is highly contagious, and kills shrimp quickly. In just a few days, entire populations of shrimp farms have been entirely wiped out. C. pacificus californicus has been shown to be particularly susceptible to WSSV, and is therefore suspected to be a key component in the virus\u2019 dispersal. The first documented incident of the WSSV was in Taiwan in 1992. The most recent documented outbreak occurred in Brazil, in 2005.<\/p>\n

\u00a0The Human Connection<\/h5>\n

\"Environment1A_Ferris_Monograph<\/a>It is safe to say that, our lives would be quite different without C. pacificus, and indeed, all copepods. They are an organism that many species of fish depend on for nourishment, that without which, would put greater stressors on many other trophic levels. This includes humans, since\u00a0seafood is a staple of so many people\u2019s diets. So every time you sit down to eat fish for dinner, you likely have some species of copepod to thank for that delicious meal. They may be small, but they impact our lives in ways that are easy to forget, if not go downright unnoticed altogether.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Animation<\/h5>\n

The following animation is my interpretation of a very hungry copepod on the hunt. The “cute” and “humanistic” factors were exaggerated and favored over anatomical correctness. This was a difficult balance to maintain, and I think more work could bring it the extra step towards what I initially envisioned.<\/p>\n