Glossary

crustacean

Any member of the predominantly aquatic arthropod grouping Crustacea which currently contains almost 70,000 recognised species, including all crabs, lobsters, crayfish, shrimp, krill and barnacles. It's difficult to define their characteristics since the group is of arguable hierarchical status, generally regarded to represent either a Phylum or Subphylum.

Used in 421 species profiles

Related terms

amphipod
A crustacean of the order Amphipoda, most of which are small and have a laterally-compressed shape. The suborder Gammaridea contains all freshwater species.
anchor worm
Member of the copepod crustacean genus Lernaea. Adult females are parasitic on freshwater fishes.
Artemia
Commonly known as brine shrimp; a genus of phyllopod crustacean inhabiting salt lakes and brines. Cultivated as food for aquarium fishes and available live, frozen or freeze-dried. Its newly-hatched nauplii are also a popular food for fish fry.
arthropod
Any member of the phylum Arthropoda, these being characterised by a (usually) chitinous exoskeleton and segmented body to which jointed appendages are attached in pairs. Arthropods include the insects, crustaceans, arachnids, myriapods, and extinct trilobites, and comprise the largest phylum in the animal kingdom.
Asellus
Genus of isopod crustaceans in the family Asellidae. Contains the well-known 'water louse', Asellus aquaticus.
astaxanthin
Carotenoid pigment found naturally in some fishes, crustaceans, microalgae and yeasts. Known to improve conditioning/colouration and used in some fish foods.
carapace
The hard upper shell of a tortoise, crustacean, or arachnid.
chela
Large, pincer-like claw of a crustacean or arachnid, as seen in lobsters, crabs, scorpions, etc..
cladocera
Order of small, aquatic crustaceans commonly referred to as 'water fleas'.
copepod
Any member of the subclass Copepoda, a group of small marine and freshwater crustaceans of which the planktonic species are important to global ecology, forming the main constituent of oceanic zooplankton. Some species are parasites of fishes.
coral sand
Sand originating from marine environments via bioerosion of the calcareous skeletal structures possessed by some organisms. Coral is not the chief constituent, however, with the majority of material deriving from foraminifera, calcareous algae, molluscs, and crustaceans.
Daphnia
Any representative of the genus Daphnia; small, planktonic crustaceans commonly referred to as 'water fleas' and often used as food for ornamental fishes. They're members of the order Cladocera and reproduce by parthenogenesis.
decapod
Any member of the crustacean order Decapoda, comprising species possessing 5 pairs of jointed, thorassic limbs such as crabs, crayfish, lobsters and shrimp. Also used historically in reference to molluscs of the Cephalopod superorder Decapodiformes, members of which have 8 short limbs plus 2 longer tentacles and include cuttlefish and squid.
exoskeleton
External skeleton, often forming a hard, shell-like outer covering typical in insects, crustaceans and some molluscs. Usually chitinous but may also be composed primarily of calcium carbonate or silica.
Gammarus
Large genus of amphipod crustacean in the family Gammaridae of which members occur in both fresh and salt water. An important source of food for many fishes.
isopod
Any member of the crustacean order Isopda, comprising species with 7 pairs of legs and lacking a fully-formed carapace.
krill
Vernacular term for any small, shrimp-like, marine crustacean of the order Euphausiacea. Represent an important, sometimes principal, proportion of the diet of many marine fishes and mammals. Available as food for ornamental fishes, usually in frozen form.
mysid
Any member of the shrimp-like crustacean order Mysidacea.
Mysis
Genus of mysid crustacean of which members inhabit both marine and freshwater environments. Some species are used as fish food in aquaria, and usually available frozen.
nauplius
First larval stage in certain crustaceans, comprising an unsegmented body with three pairs of appendages. Important constituent of plankton and the diet of some fishes.
ostracod
Any member of the crustacean class Ostracoda.
Ostracoda
Class of crustacean, sometimes referred to as seed shrimp, characterised by possession of a bivalve-like protective carapace. Found in both freshwater and marine environments, and sometimes used as food for small fishes in aquaria.
phylum
Taxonomic rank below kingdom and above class.
zoea
Early, planktonic larval form common in decapod crustaceans, e.g., crabs, characterised by possession of well-developed abdominal appendages and one or more spines on the carapace.
zooplankton
Plankton or planktonic constituent composed of small animals such as crustaceans and larval fishes.

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