California-rice
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Triopsidae
Tadpole Shrimps, Shield Shrimp
Triopsidae is the sole family in the order Notostraca, commonly known as tadpole shrimps or shield shrimps. These freshwater crustaceans are considered living fossils, with body plans essentially unchanged since the Triassic period. The family contains two genera, Triops and Lepidurus. Members possess a distinctive broad, flat carapace covering the head, a long segmented-appearing abdomen with numerous leg pairs, and compound eyes. Their eggs can survive extended desiccation, enabling populations to persist through drought conditions and hatch when habitats reflood.