Metridia cf. pacifica
Distribution:
North Pacific, Sea of Japan, Bering sea, Chukchi Sea, Sea of Okhotsk.
Habitat:
Adult females show strong diel vertical migrations; males are usually non-migratory.
Size:
Female 2.4-3.1 mm; male 1.7-2.1 mm
Diet:
Phytoplankton, microzooplankton.
Predators:
Fish and others.
Useful Facts or Characters:
Conspicuous seminal receptacles in adult female; anterior portion of prosome wider than posterior portion.
Natural History:
Among the more abundant copepods off Southern California, especially in night samples over deeper water.
References:
http://www.marinespecies.org/copepoda/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=196784
http://copepodes.obs-banyuls.fr/en/fichesp.php?sp=988
Ohman, M.D., Drits, A.V., Clarke, M.E., and Plourde, S. (1998) Differential dormancy of co-occurring copepods. Deep-Sea Research II 45: 1709-1740.