Neocalanus flemingeri Miller, 1989
One of most biomass dominating copepods of the subarctic Pacific
Size
- Eggs 0.155 mm
- Females 3.8-4.2 mm prosome, 4.7-5.3 mm total length
- Males slightly smaller
Color & Characteristics
- Body nearly transparent, with blotchs of red or orange color on body and usually prominent on both antennae, mouth parts, and parts of the urosome (the tail)
- Lipid sac prominent, and up to 60% of body volume
- Urosome (tail) typical length (~ 25% of prosome)
- Antennae significantly longer than total length
- Mouth parts and antennae typical of filter feeder
Habitat
- Endemic to sub-arctic Pacific waters, advected seasonally into the arctic and southward into the California Current System
- Most abundant on deeper areas as well as offshore waters, but also common in coastal fjords
- Concentrated in surface mixed layers during growing season, found between 400-1000 m late summer through early winter
Feeding
- Suspension "filter" feeder on phytoplankton and protists
- Large lipids deposits accumulated for summer/fall diapause and to fuel reproduction
- Females do not feed
- Thought to be one of the sub-arctic's key grazers during spring through early summer
Life cycle
- Females begin spawning at depth around winter soltice using lipid reserves from previous spring, females convert nearly entire body mass into eggs
- Clutch sizes with maximums in excess of 400 eggs and 3-5 clutched produced per female ( max total ~1200 eggs)
- Nauplii complete development over ~2 months while ascending toward surface, feeding must begin at N3.
- Rapid growth occurs once the spring bloom begins
- When lipid sac is filled, animal descend to depth, molt into adults, are fertilized and then females enter 'diapause' (a form of hibernation)
- Generation length and life expectancy, 1 year in the Gulf of Alaska
Page Author: Russ Hopcroft
Created: Jan 14, 2010
