Crustacea, the Higher Taxa

J.K. Lowry


Acrothoracica (Cirripedia, Maxillipoda)

Description. Head. Rostrum absent; eyes absent (in adult); eyes ocular scale absent; eyes naupliar eyes present, or naupliar eyes absent. Antennules (antenna 1) uniramous, or absent; peduncle and flagellum indistinguishable; exopod reduced, vestigial or absent. Antennae (antenna 2) reduced, vestigial or absent (in adult). Mouthparts highly modified. Mandible uniramous, or absent; palp present. Thorax. Carapace present, univalved, enclosing head, body and appendages, forming a membranous mantle, smooth or of calcareous plates. Thorax and abdomen undifferentiated, with 0 pairs of appendages. Uropods vestigial or absent. Telson absent.

Larval development. Metamorphic. Eggs shed or deposited externally.

Habitat. Marine, burrowing into dead corals and limstone shell.

Distribution. Worldwide.

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/.