Copepod

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Arthropoda

Subphylum: Crustacea

Class: Hexanauplia

Subclass: Copepoda

Copepod means “oar-footed”, in reference to the paddle-like appendages that they use to move around. These guys are a very diverse group of tiny crustaceans! They can look very different from species to species but like all crustaceans, these guys do have an armoured exoskeleton. They are so small though, that in most species, this thin exoskeleton and the rest of its body is almost entirely transparent. Their small size also means that they have no gills or circulatory system to deliver oxygen (and other nutrients) to the cells in their body - it’s just not necessary! Instead, most just absorb oxygen from the environment around them directly into their bodies!