Cumaceans: Cumacea - Physical Characteristics, Behavior And Reproduction, No Common Name (cyclaspis Longicaudata): Species Account - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, CUMACEANS AND PEOPLE, CONSERVATION STATUS
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Cumaceans live around the world in oceans, seas, bays, and estuaries to the deepest trenches.
Most species live in the ocean and brackish waters, but some are found in habitats where water is fresh for at least short periods of time. Many live on the bottom, just below the surface in soft mud or sand. They prefer habitats where there is some water current, but little wave action. One group lives on algae growing on rocks and broken bits of coral.
Most cumaceans eat tiny particles of plants. These materials are broken down into bits by grinding them down with grains of sand in their mouth or by using their mandibles to scrape particles off larger pieces. One group has sharp mandibles, suggesting that they might prey on microscopic animals.
Some species are an important food source for young fish, such as salmon and cod. These fishes are caught and sold as food for people.
No species of cumaceans are considered endangered or threatened.
Additional Topics
Cumaceans (koo-MAY-see-ans) are strange-looking crustaceans with a large shieldlike carapace and slender abdomen. Their bodies resemble a comma lying on its side. Most cumaceans measure 0.039 to 0.39 inches (1 to 10 millimeters) long, but one species reaches 1.57 inches (40 millimeters). The head may or may not have a beaklike projection, or rostrum. In some species there is one compound eye on th…
Cumaceans spend most of their time in mud or sand. They need to stay close to the surface so they can move oxygen-carrying water over their gills. The first pair of maxillipeds is used to move water forward from the walking legs through the carapace toward the head. Some species leave the bottom and swim up into the water after dark. Males and females are required for reproduction. In most species…
Physical characteristics: The smooth carapace of Cyclaspis longicaudata is almost ball-shaped. The abdomen is very long and slender; males have five pairs of pleopods. Geographic range: They live in the cold waters of the North Atlantic, from northern Norway to the northeastern United States. Habitat: They live on the bottom in sandy mud at depths from 395 to 16,400 feet (120 to 5,000 meters). Die…
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