COMMON TYPES Of ANIMALS IN THIS CLASS
starfish, crabs, fish, and lobsters are all different types of Crustaceans.
Crustaceans have three major parts that make up their body: a head, a thorax and an abdomen. They sometimes have a fused thorax and abdomen which is known as a cephalothorax. Their mouth consists of three major structures that crush food and get the food into the digestive tract. Most crustaceans breathe with gills which are under the carapace. The main protective structure of a crustacean's exoskeleton is the carapace. They have an exoskeleton and must molt or burst out of their skin to grow larger in size. All motile crustaceans have segmented legs with the exception of barnacles which are sessile creatures. Fast swimming crustaceans like shrimp, lobster and crayfish have a specialized swimming structure on the posterior end of their body. The uropod, or fan like extensions of the abdomen aid in swimming when the organism contracts its segmented abdomen to swim away backwards. These crustaceans can also walk slowly forward with their four pairs of walking legs. The rostum is the horn-like structure that protrudes from the head to provide a safe place for the compound eyes of the decapod.
