Palaeos		Malacostraca
Arthropoda		Peracarida

Malacostraca: Peracarida

CRUSTACEA
|
`--MALACOSTRACA
        |--Phyllocarida
        `--+--Hoplocarida
           `--Eumalacostraca
              |--Syncarida
              |--Peracarida
              |   |--Pygocephalomorpha
              |   `--+---Mysida
              |     `--+--Amphipoda
              |        `--Isopoda
              `--Eucarida
                 `--DECAPODA

Taxa on This Page

1. Peracarida
2. Pygocephalomorpha X

Descriptions

Peracarida

Range: From the Devonian

Phylogeny: Eumalacostraca : Syncarida + Eucarida + * : Pygocephalomorpha + Mysida + (Amphipoda + Isopoda)

Characters: Carapace, when present, leaving at least four of the thoracic somites distinct ; first thoracic somite always fused with the head. Eyes pedincidate or sessile. Oostegites attached to some or all of the thoracic limbs in the female, forming a brood pouch. - Zittel & Eastman 1913

Comments: Small, mainly marine forms in which the test, if present, consists of four free thoracic segments and a carapace - Twenhofel & Shrock 1935

Pygocephalomorpha

Range: Carboniferous to Permian.

Phylogeny: Peracarida : (Mysida + (Amphipoda + Isopoda)) + *

Comments: A number of Carboniferous forms, such as Pygocephalus (English Late Carboniferous), Crangopsis (Early Carboniferous of Scotland and Kentucky), Anthrapalaemon (illustrated) Pseudogalathea, Tealliocaris, and Palaemysis probably belong here. Part of the Paleozoic paraphyletic basal Eumalacostraca group Eocarida

Illustration: Anthrapalaemon gracilis, Carboniferous of Illinois, from Zittel & Eastman 1913

Links: life reconstruction of Tealliocaris