Knowra Caridea Caridea Caridea is an infraorder of decapod crustaceans known as true shrimp. Its members inhabit marine and freshwater environments, with some occupying terrestrial habitats.
Decapoda : An order of crustaceans that includes shrimp, crabs, lobsters, and crayfish. Caridea is one infraorder within this larger crustacean order.
Caridean body plan : The shrimp-like body arrangement with a distinct abdomen, tail fan, and second abdominal segment overlapping the first and third. The overlapping abdominal plates are a defining feature of caridean anatomy.
Pistol shrimp : A caridean shrimp that snaps an enlarged claw to generate a loud cavitation bubble. Its specialized claw illustrates the unusual adaptations found within Caridea.
Dendrobranchiata : A decapod suborder that includes penaeid prawns and releases eggs directly into the water. Dendrobranchiates are the closest major decapod counterpart to carideans, but differ in gills and reproduction.
Shrimp aquaculture : The farming of shrimp for food, including marine penaeids and some freshwater species. Caridean biology informs the culture of freshwater shrimp, though most farmed shrimp are not carideans.
Pleocyemata : A decapod suborder whose members generally brood eggs on their abdominal appendages. Caridea belongs to this suborder, unlike the egg-releasing Dendrobranchiata.
Pleopod : A paired abdominal appendage in crustaceans, used for swimming, brooding eggs, or both. Female carideans commonly carry eggs attached to their pleopods.
Cleaner shrimp : A shrimp that removes parasites and dead tissue from other animals, often at a persistent cleaning station. These carideans show how shrimp can form direct mutualistic relationships with fish.
Stenopodidea : A small decapod infraorder of shrimp-like crustaceans, including coral-banded shrimp. Stenopodideans resemble true shrimp but belong to a separate infraorder.
Aquarium shrimp : Small freshwater shrimp kept in aquariums for display, algae grazing, or breeding. Many popular aquarium shrimp are carideans selected for color, behavior, or algae control.
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