Candacia bradyi
Scott A. (1902)
Download a fact sheet for Candacia bradyi (PDF 593KB)
Taxonomy
| Phylum | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum | Crustacea |
| Class | Maxillopoda |
| Subclass | Copepoda |
| Order | Calanoida |
| Family | Candaciidae |
| Genus | Candacia |
| Species | bradyi |
Size
- Female: 1.4 - 2.1 mm
- Male: 1.4 – 2.0 mm
Distinguishing characteristics
- Form of genital somite
- Female: Urosome somite 2 has a pointed protrusion, half the length of genital somite, on the mid ventral surface
Male
- A1 23 segmented, extends to posterior border of prosome
- Posterior prosome symmetrical, tip of right process does not reach beyond midpoint of genital somite
- P2-4 terminal spines are more than half the length of its segment
- Genital somite produced into a small toothed process on right side
- Urosome somite 2 with patch of small spines near posterior end
- Left P5 segment 3 is produced at outer distal angle into a short, stout, pigmented tooth-like process, which is divided into 3 blunt points, segment 4 is elongated and narrow with 3 small terminal spines
Female
- Posterior prosome somite corners each end in a short spine
- P1 with 1 segmented endopod
- Genital somite broad and almost symmetrical in dorsal view, with slight protrusion on right side
- Urosome somite 2 has a pointed protrusion, half the length of genital somite, on the mid ventral surface
- P5 segment 3 curved slightly inwards, with 2 setae on inner margin and three spines on distal outer edge. These spines are blunt and pigmented on the left and sharp and non-pigmented on the right
- Caudal rami twice as long as wide, slightly asymmetrical, the right wider than the left
Distribution
- Epipelagic; open ocean
- Temperate, tropical and subtropical
- Indian and Pacific Oceans; not Atlantic
Ecology
- Specialised predator, grasping prey with large and robust maxillae
- Larvaceans are major prey item
- Has been observed feeding on Sagitta spp.
References
- Bradford-Grieve, J. M., (1999) The marine fauna of New Zealand: pelagic calanoid copepoda: Bathypontiidae, Arietellidae, Augaptilidae, Heterorhabdidae, Lucicutiidae, Metridinidae, Phyllopodidae, Centropagidae, Pseudodiaptomidae, Temoridae, Candaciidae, Pontellidae, Sulcanidae, Acartiidae, Tortanidae. National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, Wellington, New Zealand.
- Conway DVP, White, R.G., Hugues-Dit-Ciles, J., Gallienne, C.P. and Robins, D.B. (2003) Guide to the coastal and surface zooplankton of the south-western Indian Ocean, Vol Occasional Publications No. 15. Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom.
- Boxshall, G. A. and S. H. Halsey (2004). "An introduction to copepod diversity." Ray Society Publications 166: i-xv, 1-966.
- Greenwood, J. G. (1978). "Calanoid copepods of Moreton Bay (Queensland) 3. Families Temoridae to Tortanidae, excluding Pontellidae." Proceedings of the Royal Society of Queensland 89: 1-21.
- Phukham N., 2008. - Species diversity of calanoid copepods in Thai waters, Andaman Sea. M.S. Sc. (Marine Science). Univ. Bangkok. 269 p.. (On line).
- Razouls C., de Bovée F., Kouwenberg J. et Desreumaux N., 2005-2009. - Diversity and Geographic Distribution of Marine Planktonic Copepods. Available at http://copepodes.obs-banyuls.fr/en
- Wickstead (1959)