Crustacea, the Higher Taxa

J.K. Lowry


Brachypoda (Cephalocarida)

Description. Head. Rostrum absent; eyes absent; eyes naupliar eyes absent. Antennules (antenna 1) uniramous; peduncle and flagellum distinct; exopod well developed, whip-like. Antennae (antenna 2) biramous; exopod multiarticulate. Mandible uniramous; palp absent. Maxillipeds, absent. Thorax. Carapace absent. Thorax and abdomen differentiated. Peraeopods (legs) 8 pairs; non-phyllopodous; undifferentiated (simple). Abdomen with 12 somites. Epimera present. Pleopods absent. Uropods well developed, 1 pair, positioned terminally or subterminally; rami absent; subrectangular to subquadrate. Telson absent.

Larval development. Anamorphic. Two embryos carried on the genital process of the first abdominal somite.

Habitat. Marine benthic sofbottoms.

Distribution. East and west coasts of temperate and tropical North and South America; New Zealand; New Caledonia and Japan.

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/.