On the ontogeny of the Branchiopoda (Crustacea): contribution of development to phylogeny and classification
Abstract
Branchiopods exhibit a wide range of developmental strategies, extending from a relatively anamorphic, presumably primitive, development with many larval stages in the Anostraca and the Upper Cambrian branchiopod Rehbachiella kinnekullensis Walossek & Müller, 1983, to a very abbreviated development without free-living larval stages in most cladocerans. While anamorphic developing branchiopods, such as anostracans, are among the most primitive crustaceans, at least with respect to their gradual development over many stages starting with a nauplius, many of the cladocerans, with their embryonized development, are among the most modified.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Crustacean biology and ecology
Developmental Biology and Gene Regulation
Paleontology and Evolutionary Biology
Publication details
- Journal / source
- CRC Press eBooks
- Pages
- 217–269
- Publication date
- 19 January 2026
- Language
- EN
- Document type
- Book chapter