Benthic-feeder
Guides
Notostraca
tadpole shrimp, shield shrimp
Notostraca is an order of small crustaceans commonly known as tadpole shrimp or shield shrimp. The group contains a single extant family, Triopsidae, with two genera: Triops and Lepidurus. These animals are considered living fossils, with morphologically similar forms dating back to the Late Devonian approximately 360 million years ago. They inhabit temporary freshwater pools, shallow lakes, and similar aquatic environments worldwide except Antarctica.