Crustacea
| Definition: |
A large subphylum of mostly marine ARTHROPODS containing over 42,000 species. They include familar arthropods such as lobsters (NEPHROPIDAE), crabs (BRACHYURA), shrimp (PENAEIDAE), and barnacles (THORACICA). |
| Notes: |
as animal & food; IM; GEN or unspecified; prefer specifics; as food, coord IM with SHELLFISH (IM) |
| Also Called: |
Ostracoda |
Crustacea Categories.
 |
Amphipoda - An order of mostly marine CRUSTACEA containing more than 5500 species in over 100 families. Like ISOPODA, the other large order in the superorder Peracarida, members are shrimp-like in appearance, have sessile compound eyes, and no carapace. But unlike Isopoda, they possess thoracic gills and their bodies are laterally compressed. |
|
Anostraca - An order of CRUSTACEA comprised of shrimp-like organisms containing body trunks with at least 20 segments. The are commonly used as aquarium food. |
|
Arguloida - An order of CRUSTACEA that are parasitic on freshwater fish. |
|
Cladocera - A suborder of CRUSTACEA, order Diplostraca, comprising the water fleas. They are benthic filter feeders that consume PHYTOPLANKTON. The body is laterally compressed and enclosed in a bivalved carapace, from which the head extends. |
|
Copepoda - A huge subclass of mostly marine CRUSTACEA, containing over 14,000 species. The 10 orders comprise both planktonic and benthic organisms, and include both free-living and parasitic forms. Planktonic copepods form the principle link between PHYTOPLANKTON and the higher trophic levels of the marine food chains. |
|
Decapoda (Crustacea) - The largest order of CRUSTACEA, comprising over 10,000 species. They are characterized by three pairs of thoracic appendages modfied as maxillipeds, and five pairs of thoracic legs. The order includes the familiar shrimps, crayfish (ASTACOIDEA), true crabs (BRACHYURA), and lobsters (NEPHROPIDAE and PALINURIDAE), among others. |
|
Euphausiacea - An order of pelagic, shrimplike CRUSTACEA. Many consume ZOOPLANKTON and a few are predacious. Many antarctic species, such as Euphuasia superba, constitute the chief food of other animals. |
|
Isopoda - One of the largest orders of mostly marine CRUSTACEA, containing over 10,000 species. Like AMPHIPODA, the other large order in the superorder Peracarida, members are shrimp-like in appearance, have sessile compound eyes, and no carapace. But unlike Amphipoda, they possess abdominal pleopods (modified as gills) and their bodies are dorsoventrally flattened. |
|
Thoracica - A superorder of marine CRUSTACEA, free swimming in the larval state, but permanently fixed as adults. There are some 800 described species, grouped in several genera, and comprising of two major orders of barnacles: stalked (Pedunculata) and sessile (Sessilia). |
Crustacea Definitions and Terms
MedicalGlossary.org is designed as a free, browsable resource for all. The medical terms and definitions are not intended to replace medical informaion provided by licensed healthcare professionals. Please see a doctor if you need medical assistance. Don't see the medical term you were researching? Send us an e-mail from our "about us" page. We will do our best to research and classify new medical terms in a timely manner. Our current list of medical terms is over 26,000. Data sources include the U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2004 Medical Subject Headings.
|
