Biology of Oithona similis (Copepoda: Cylopoida) in the Arctic, Antarctic and North Sea

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Oithona similis belongs to the Copepoda Cyclopoida. It is highly abundant throughout many parts of the world ocean and supposed to be a cosmopolitan species. Aim of this project is to find out whether O. similis, a key species in the three chosen study areas (Arctic, Antarctic and North Sea), is indeed a cosmopolitan species. A further goal is a better understanding of its life cycle (or in case there are cryptic species of their life cycles) including feeding habits and generation times of the developmental stages, as well as the combined role of food resources and temperature within its/their life cycle/s. The literature is full of contradictory information on all aspects of the biology of O. similis. The main goal will be to find the reasons for these contradictions, whether they are caused by the great biological and/or genetical flexibility of the species or by the fact that there are several cryptic species. Such species may be very stenoecious as indicated by their similar or even identical morphology. This will be studied by using genetical and morphological techniques. The results will then dictate the further procedure. In case of a cosmopolitan species it will be examined whether morphologically different populations exist within each of the three study areas. In the other case it will be differentiated between the single cryptic species.