Knowra Crustacea Crustacea Crustacea is a diverse group of arthropods that includes crabs, shrimp, lobsters, barnacles, and many other forms. Most crustaceans are aquatic and have jointed limbs, a segmented body, and a hard exoskeleton.
Arthropod : An invertebrate animal with a segmented body, jointed appendages, and a chitinous exoskeleton. Crustaceans are one of the major arthropod lineages.
Ecdysis : The shedding of an animal's outer cuticle as part of growth or development. A crustacean must molt to enlarge its rigid exoskeleton.
Decapoda : A crustacean order that includes crabs, lobsters, crayfish, and shrimp. Its members account for many of the best-known crustaceans.
Cambrian explosion : A period of rapid diversification of animal forms early in the Cambrian Period. Cambrian fossils preserve early arthropods relevant to crustacean origins.
Aquaculture : The cultivation of aquatic organisms for food or other uses. Shrimp and other crustaceans are among its major farmed animals.
Mandibulata : A major arthropod grouping that includes insects, myriapods, and crustaceans. This broader lineage places crustaceans among animals with mandibles.
Carapace : A hard protective covering over part or all of an animal's body. In many crustaceans it covers the head and thorax and can shelter the gills.
Barnacle : A marine crustacean that lives attached to a surface, usually within a calcareous shell. Its sessile adult form contrasts with the mobile habits of most familiar crustaceans.
Waptia : An extinct Cambrian arthropod known from fossils in the Burgess Shale. Its anatomy has been discussed in reconstructions of early crustacean evolution.
Fisheries : The harvesting and management of wild aquatic populations. Crabs, lobsters, and shrimp support valuable commercial fisheries.
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