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UTAS Home > IMAS Home > Image Key > Copepoda > Cyclopoida > Oithonidae >  Oithona similis

Oithona similis

Claus (1866)

Download a fact sheet for Oithona similis (PDF 368KB)

Taxonomy

Phylum Arthropoda
Subphylum Crustacea
Class Maxillopoda
Subclass Copepoda
Order Cyclopoida
Family Oithonidae
Genus Oithona
Species similis

Size

  • Female: 0.68-0.96 mm

Distinguishing characteristics

  • Rostrum rounded in dorsal view, strong and flat in lateral view

Male

  • Very difficult to identify

Female

  • Prosome elongate, ellipsoid in dorsal view, similar to O. decipens but more rounded
  • A1 moderately long, 1.1-1.3 times prosome length
  • Rostrum rounded in dorsal view, strong and flat in lateral view
  • Prosome length 2.3-2.6 times width
  • Prosome:Urosome 1:1 .1-1.4
  • Urosome somites in length ratio 13:34:15:14:11
  • Anterior third of genital somite swollen laterally

Distribution

  • Very widespread

Ecology

  • Varies a lot in size

References

  • Nishida, S. (1985). "Taxonomy and distribution of the family Oithonidae (Copepoda, Cyclopoida) in the Pacific and Indian oceans." Bulletin of the Ocean Research Institute, University of Tokyo. Tokyo. no. 20: 1-167.