Cephalocarida

Cephalocarida are a small group of tiny, primitive crustaceans found in marine environments. They are characterized by their segmented bodies, with a distinct head (cephalon) and elongated abdomen. Unlike more familiar crustaceans like crabs or shrimp, Cephalocarida lack a hard exoskeleton covering their entire body and have simple limbs specialized for crawling. They typically live buried in sand or mud and feed on microscopic organic material. Despite their simplicity, they provide valuable insights into crustacean evolution and the early development of modern marine arthropods.