Is it a mite?

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Common names

copepods, harpacticoids

Probability of encounter

High if appropriate extraction techniques used.

Quarantine importance

Some species are intermediate hosts of parasites of people, livestock and wildlife.

Similarity to mites

Small size and obscurity. Abdomen is distinctly segmented.

Morphology

Normal adult length: <2 mm
Bodybody:
the idiosoma of mites.
tagmata: head (2 pairs of antennae), thorax, abdomen
Eyes: median eye spot
Antennae: biramous
Mouthparts: mandibles without palps; two pairs of maxillae
Legs: swimming
Respiration: cutaneous
Gonopore: first abdominal segment
Distinguishing features: Minute swimming crustaceans with well developed antennules and a pair of cerci-like caudal rami.

Comments: Copepods are normally considered aquatic organisms and would be expected primarily in wet intercepts (e.g., bromeliads); however, some harpacticoids are inhabitants of humus.

Diversity

>7,500 species, mostly marine

References

• Tree of Life Web Project 2002bTree of Life Web Project 2002b:
  Tree of Life Web Project. 2002. Copepoda. Version 01 January 2002 (temporary). The Tree of Life Web Project, http://tolweb.org/