A large subclass of copepods (tiny crustaceans), which are among the most abundant animals on Earth and form a crucial part of marine and freshwater food webs.
From Greek 'eu' (well) + 'kope' (oar) + 'pous' (foot), referencing their rowing paddle-like swimming appendages. The taxonomic term was formalized in the 20th century as crustacean classification advanced.
Copepods are the most abundant animals on the planet by individual count—there are literally more copepods in the ocean than all other animals combined—yet most people have never heard of them because they're microscopic, which is wild considering how essential they are to feeding fish, whales, and the entire ocean ecosystem!
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