A Diponegoro University (UNDIP) doctoral student participated in the 5th International Workshop on Symbiotic Copepoda (IWOSC), held from 2 to 9 August. The participant arrived in Penang on 2 August and visited the workshop venue at CEMACS, Universiti Sains Malaysia.
The first day of the workshop consisted of an opening session, a presentation on the history of IWOSC and introductory lectures on copepods. The second day featured keynote sessions, research seminars and lectures on processing fish samples and collecting and curating copepod specimens, as well as group discussions.
On the third day, participants conducted field sampling of fish at the Teluk Pahang Fish Market, followed by fish dissection activities and lectures on copepods associated with invertebrate hosts and a checklist of parasitic copepods in Malaysia. The fourth day involved fieldwork focusing on collecting and dissecting invertebrate specimens.
The fifth day was dedicated to touring Penang Hill and Penang city centre. The sixth day of the workshop included sessions on observing copepod specimens, copepod nomenclature and classification, and hands-on laboratory practice observing collected and previously prepared copepod specimens. The day concluded with a scientific illustration session on copepods.
On the seventh day, participants visited floating net cages, attended lectures on pest copepods in aquaculture, parasitological data analysis and quantitative parasitology, and enjoyed a farewell dinner. The workshop concluded on the final day with a closing and farewell session, after which participants departed from CEMACS.
