A simple method for maintaining a laboratory supply of limnetic cyclopoid copepods

The following method is used for maintaining a laboratory supply of freshwater cyclopoid copepods with intervening diapause phase. Animals are collected with a core sampler from the upper sediment surface just after initiation of diapause, i.e. during early summer for summer resting species and mid autumn for winter resting species. The method makes it possible at all times of the year to keep a variety of cyclopoid copepod species ready for experimental work. The following widespread species have been used: Mesocyclops leuckarti, Thermocyclops oithonoides, Diacyclops bicuspidatus, Cyclops vicinus, C. strenuus and C. abyssorum. Probably all cyclopoid copepods with a diapause phase could be stored according to the present method.