copepod

co·pe·pod  (kp-pd)

n.

Any of numerous minute marine and freshwater crustaceans of the subclass Copepoda, having an elongated body and a forked tail.

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[From New Latin Cppoda, order name : Greek kp, oar; see kap- in Indo-European roots + -poda, -pod.]

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copepod  (kp-pd)

Any of various very small crustaceans of the subclass Copepoda, having an elongated body and a forked tail. Unlike most crustaceans, copepods lack a carapace over the back and do not have compound eyes. They are abundant in both salt and fresh water, and are an important food source for many water animals. Copepods include the water fleas.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

copepod - minute marine or freshwater crustaceans usually having six pairs of limbs on the thorax; some abundant in plankton and others parasitic on fish copepod crustacean plankton - the aggregate of small plant and animal organisms that float or drift in great numbers in fresh or salt water crustacean - any mainly aquatic arthropod usually having a segmented body and chitinous exoskeleton Copepoda, subclass Copepoda - minute planktonic or parasitic crustaceans britt, brit - minute crustaceans forming food for right whales water flea, cyclops - minute free-swimming freshwater copepod having a large median eye and pear-shaped body and long antennae used in swimming; important in some food chains and as intermediate hosts of parasitic worms that affect man e.g. Guinea worms fish louse - a kind of copepod