Systematic Position
Kingdom: Animalia
Sub-kingdom: Eumetazoa
Super-phylum: Ecdysosoa
Phylum: Arthropoda
Sub-phylum: Crustacea
Class 5 : Ostracoda
Ostracod Crustacean (Wikipedia)
Ostracoda Characteristics
Ø Commonly called as seed shrimps
Ø Small crustaceans
Ø They are the common zooplanktons of marine environment
Ø Flattened body plan
Ø Body is covered by bivalve like shell
Ø Shell may be chitinous or calcareous
Ø Body consists of head and thorax
Ø Head and thorax separated by a small constriction
Ø Abdomen usually absent
Ø Clear body segmentation absent
Ø Head is the largest body segment
Ø Bears well developed antennae
Ø Antennae are used to swim in the water
Ø A pair of mandibles and two pairs of maxillae present
Ø Thorax with two pair of appendages
Ø Gills absent
Ø Heart and circulatory system absent
Ø Eyes usually present which may be simple or compound eyes
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