Name

Ostracoda

Framing

Phylum: Arthropoda

Subphylum: Crustacea

Class: Ostracoda

Habitat

Aquatic (marine and freshwater), mostly benthic, many planktonic and some terrestrial in microhabitats with high humidity.

Feeding

Detritivores, filter feeders, herbivores

Distribution

Cosmopolitan

Conservation status

Majority of species Not evaluated

Additional information

They measure between 0.1 and 2 mm in length, with a bivalve carapace with hinge. Trunk not clearly differentiated in thorax and abdomen and the segmentation is reduced, presenting between one and three pairs of appendages.