What is what animal is plankton from spongebob?

Plankton from SpongeBob SquarePants is not actually an animal, but a microscopic organism commonly found in bodies of water. In the show, Plankton is depicted as a small green copepod who owns the Chum Bucket restaurant and is constantly trying to steal the Krabby Patty secret formula from the Krusty Krab. While the character Plankton is a fun and entertaining addition to the show, real-life plankton play a crucial role in marine ecosystems as they are at the base of the ocean food chain.