zooplanktonn.
/ˈzuː(ə)plaŋ(k)tən/, /ˌzuː(ə)ˈplaŋ(k)tən/, /ˈzəʊəplaŋ(k)tən/, /ˌzəʊəˈplaŋ(k)tən/, U.S. /ˈzu(ə)ˌplæŋkt(ə)n/, /ˌzu(ə)ˈplæŋkt(ə)n/, /ˈzoʊəˌplæŋkt(ə)n/, /ˌzoʊəˈplæŋkt(ə)n/ Biology.
With singular or plural agreement. Plankton consisting of small animals and the immature stages of larger animals. Cf. phytoplankton n.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > biology > organism > plankton > [noun] > types of
brit1838
limnoplankton1893
zooplankton1897
meroplankton1899
potamoplankton1899
pseudoplankton1899
cryoplankton1902
hypoplankton1902
microplankton1903
haloplankton1909
holoplankton1909
meroplankton1909
nanoplankton1912
neuston1928
aeroplankton1932
staph1933
astroplankton1954
picoplankton1978
1897 Science 23 July 141/1 This uniformity..is due to the similarity of the chemical constituents in the water, resulting in a uniform growth of the phyto-plankton and the zooplankton depending upon it.
1901 Lancet 3 Dec. 1801/1 Shallow pools of clear water which were rich in zooplankton.
1935 P. S. Welch Limnol. ix. 206 The Rotifera constitute one of the most conspicuous and important groups of the zooplankton.
1997 G. S. Helfman et al. Diversity of Fishes xxiii. 415/1 Many fishes..hover in the water column along the face of a coral reef and feed on zooplankton.
2006 Independent 11 Dec. 16/1 The scientists found a diverse array of rare zooplankton—microscopic animals near the bottom of the marine food chain.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2017; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1897