Euphausiacea

Abstract

AbstractEuphausiacea were once united with “mysidaceans” in a more inclusive taxon, Schizopoda, “split legs,” so named for their biramous thoracopods. Both of these schizopods stood as almost perfect caridoids, expressing the “caridoid facies” that Calman utilized to create the ancestral malacostracan. Calman also united Euphausiacea with the Decapoda as Eucarida with carapaces fused to the thorax. The group is configured simply, only 86 species in 11 genera, and the classification of the order is compact. Currently, the “krill” and allies are critical members of the pelagic food chain. A non-feeding nauplius is followed by a series of non-feeding and then feeding larvae.