Cruising faster than Usain Bolt

Salmincola californiensis is a freshwater parasitic copepod of Pacific salmon and trout (genus Oncorhynchus). While the duration its juvenile life stage – free-swimming copepodid (pictured here) lasts for only about 5 days at 16°C, this short time represents opportunity when members species can seek attach themselves to potential hosts. One way that copepods move in water column by executing sequence small jumps. Although jump speeds non-parasitic adult are well documented, little known copepods. Copepodids must hosts maintain their relative (vertical) position column, as they negatively buoyant. Jump would be critical certain situations, such once host identified or escape predation. Using time-lapse video tracking, we observed undisturbed S copepodids cruising more than 10 body lengths per second (10.9 ± 3.2 [mean standard deviation], n = copepodids). This 1.7 times faster eight-time Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt, who reaches running approximately 6.2 second. At 3 frames second, our tracking occurred an laboratory setting (under dissecting scope room temperature) was intended observe hatching copepodids. What might uncovered future research using high-speed photography examine maximum these tiny vampires?