1. Minute marine or freshwater crustaceans usually having six pairs of limbs on the thorax; some abundant in plankton and others parasitic on fish
   "Copepods are a major food source for many marine animals"; "copepod crustaceans are a major food source for many marine animals";
   - copepod crustacean

Derived forms: copepods

Type of: crustacean

Part of: Copepoda, plankton, subclass Copepoda

Encyclopedia: Copepod