Malacostraca | ||||||||
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Scientific classification | ||||||||
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Orders | ||||||||
not necessarily a complete list: Leptostraca Stomatopoda Bathynellacea Thermosbaenacea Mysidacea Cumacea Amphipoda Isopoda Tanaidacea Euphausiacea Amphionidacea Decapoda Peracarida |
The classification of crustaceans is currently being debated, and the Malacostraca are regarded by some authors as a class and by others as a subclass.
Their characteristics include:
- Five pairs of walking legs
- The first pair of legs are often modified to form pincers
- Cephalothorax covered by a carapace
- Abdomen behind, often used for swimming
- Appendages near the mouth; these are called maxillipeds
- Two-chambered stomach
- Centralised nervous system