Viatcheslav Ivanenko (aka Slava Ivanenko) is a marine biologist from Moscow
State University, who has been studying diversity, evolution and development
of shallow and deep water crustacean copepods, a diverse and common group of
small aquatic crustaceans. During his research trip to Moorea Island Slava
collected and photographed alive number of shallow water benthic, epibenthic
and symbiotic copepods representing orders Calanoida, Cyclopoida,
Harpacticoida, Misophrioida, Monstrilloida, Poecilostomatoida, and
Siphonostomatoida. These copepods are found as free living as well as
associated with different algae, invertebrates (sponges, echinoderms,
cnidarians, mollusks etc.) and dead stony corals collected at distinct
depths and localities. Number (more than 700 photographs) of colored alive
copepods (70+ species) has been taken so far. Hosts of collected copepods
have been preserved and photographed as well. In order to barcode DNA of as
many species of tiny invertebrates as possible 70 partially sorted bulk
samples have been preserved in 96% alcohol and stored in freezer. Follow
study of bulk samples revealed diverse invertebrates. Material collected at
Moorea Island by Slava represents most taxonomical and ecological groups of
Copepoda and is the first system approach of DNA barcoding of marine
copepods often indicated as the most ecologically important taxon of
crustaceans.
Slava Ivanenko
Moscow State University