Copepods: Copepoda

Copepods are extremely abundant. It is estimated that there are more individual copepods on Earth (1.37 × 10²¹) than there are insects. They are a vital link in ocean food chains. They eat floating plants, which are then eaten by all kinds of fish. Many of these fish are harvested from the sea and used as food for people. A few freshwater species that are found in drinking water can spread human parasites known as the guineaworm, Dracunculus mediensis. Sealice and other parasitic species are major pests in fish farms. A few species attack marine algae grown as food for people in parts of Asia. But not all of contacts with copepods are bad. Some species are important predators of mosquito larvae. These predatory copepods have been introduced to various parts of the world to stop the spread of deadly malaria, which is carried by the mosquito.