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The occurrence and spatial distribution of copepods of the family Paracalanidae was analyzed at eight stations located ten miles from the coastal profile of the Ecuadorian coast from 2016 to 2022. Eight species were recorded in the study: Paracalanus parvus, Paracalanus campaneri, Bestiolina sp, Acrocalanus longicornis, Acrocalanus sp, Calocalanus pavo, Calocalanus pavoninus, and Calocalanus plumulosus. The first three species are common in coastal and shelf waters and the remaining five in oceanic waters. Paracalanus parvus was the most abundant and frequent in the study area ranging from a few individuals to thousands, while the remaining species ranged from a few individuals to hundreds. A high abundance of coastal species in the study area would indicate that there is a greater influence of coastal waters over oceanic waters. In addition, it was possible to note that the distribution of the Paracalanidae species group was significantly correlated with low temperature and salinity values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]