Canadian Medical Guide > Organisms > Animals > Invertebrates > Arthropods > Crustacea > Decapoda (Crustacea) Terms and Definitions

Decapoda (Crustacea)

Medical Definition:	The largest order of CRUSTACEA, comprising over 10,000 species. They are characterized by three pairs of thoracic appendages modfied as maxillipeds, and five pairs of thoracic legs. The order includes the familiar shrimps, crayfish (ASTACOIDEA), true crabs (BRACHYURA), and lobsters (NEPHROPIDAE and PALINURIDAE), among others.
Guide Notes:	do not confuse with Decapoda, a genus of cephalopod molluscs; note X ref ROCK SHRIMP: several other shrimp terms are available; check text and MeSH; as animal & food; as food coord IM with SHELLFISH (IM); unspecified shrimp as food is probably PENAEIDAE
Also Called:	Sicyonia,Sicyoniidae
Previously Indexed:	Crustacea (1966-2002)

Decapoda (Crustacea) Categories.

	Anomura - An infraorder of CRUSTACEA, in the order DECAPODA comprising the hermit crabs and characterized by a small fifth pair of legs.
	Astacoidea - A superfamily of various freshwater CRUSTACEA, in the infraorder Astacidea, comprising the crayfish. Common genera include Astacus and Procambarus. Crayfish resemble lobsters, but are usually much smaller.
	Brachyura - An infraorder of chiefly marine, largely carnivorous CRUSTACEA, in the order DECAPODA, including the genera Cancer, Uca, and Callinectes.
	Crangonidae - A family of shrimp in the class CRUSTACEA, order DECAPODA, containing a single genus, Crangon, with multiple species.
	Nephropidae - Family of large marine CRUSTACEA, in the order DECAPODA. These are called clawed lobsters because they bear pincers on the first three pairs of legs. The American lobster and Cape lobster in the genus Homarus are commonly used for food.
	Palaemonidae - A family of CRUSTACEA, order DECAPODA, comprising the palaemonid shrimp. Genera include Macrobrachium, Palaemon, and Palaemonetes. Palaemonidae osmoregulate by means of gills.
	Palinuridae - A family of marine CRUSTACEA, in the order DECAPODA, comprising the clawless lobsters.They are found in tropical and subtropical waters and characterized by short spines along the length of the tail and body.
	Pandalidae - A family of CRUSTACEA, order DECAPODA, comprising the pandalid shrimp. They are protandic hermaphrodites and can breed in both male and female stages. Many species are commercially harvested in the Pacific Northwest.
	Penaeidae - A family of CRUSTACEA, order DECAPODA, comprising the penaeid shrimp. Species of the genus Penaeus are the most important commercial shrimp throughout the world.

Decapoda (Crustacea) Medical Definitions and Terms

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