Crustacea, the Higher Taxa

J.K. Lowry


Cyclopoida (Copepoda, Maxillipoda)

Description. Head. Rostrum present or absent; eyes absent; eyes naupliar eyes present, or naupliar eyes absent. Antennules (antenna 1) uniramous; geniculate in males; peduncle and flagellum indistinguishable; exopod well developed, whip-like, with 9-23 articles. Antennae (antenna 2) uniramous; exopod vestigial or absent; endopod with 3 articles. Mandible biramous, or uniramous; palp present, or absent. Maxillipeds, 2 pairs, or 1 pair; uniramous. Thorax. Carapace absent. Thorax and abdomen differentiated, boundary between last thoracic somite and first abdominal somite or boundary between fourth and fifth pedigerous somites (podoplean tagmosis). Peraeopods (legs) 5 pairs; biramous, or uniramous (fifth leg uniramous); non-phyllopodous; undifferentiated (simple); each article joined by intercoxal sclerite; anterior peraeopods (swimming legs) with 1 robust seta on outer margin of exopod article 1. Abdomen with 5 somites (or fewer). Epimera absent. Pleopods absent. Uropods well developed or vestigial or absent, 1 pair, positioned terminally or subterminally; rami absent; subrectangular to subquadrate. Telson absent.

Larval development. Metamorphic. Embryos carried in paired or single sacs attached to first abdominal somite.

Habitat. Marine and freshwater, planktonic; free-living.

Cite this publication as: Lowry, J.K. (1999 onwards). 'Crustacea, the Higher Taxa: Description, Identification, and Information Retrieval.' Version: 2 October 1999. https://crustacea.net/.