Myodocopa

Myodocopida
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Ostracoda
Subclass:	Myodocopa Sars, 1866
Subordinate taxa
Family †Swainellidae Kornicker & Sohn, 2000 Superfamily †Cypridinelliformacea Kornicker & Sohn, 2000 Superfamily †Entomoconchacea Sylvester-Bradley, 1953 Superfamily †Entomozoacea Pribyl, 1950 Superfamily †Nodophilomedoidea Kornicker & Sohn, 2000 Order Halocyprida Dana, 1853 Order Myodocopida Sars, 1866

Traditionally, the Myodocopa and Podocopa have been classified as subclasses within the class Ostracoda,[1] although there is some question about how closely related the two groups actually are. The Myodocopa are defined by possession of a poorly calcified carapace, and 8–9 articles in the exopod of the second antenna.[2] The ventral margin of the carapace is not concave, and the valves do not overlap to a great extent.[3]

Although the carapace of myodocopans is poorly calcified, some fossils are known for the group. (In contrast, thousands of fossil species are named for the Podocopa). Of particular interest are those fossils for which the internal body parts (and not just the carapace) are preserved. This provides a lot more information about the likely relatives to the fossil taxa, including relatives still alive today. Two recent fossils of much interest have been found from Silurian deposits (dated at 425 million years ago). These fossils have well preserved internal body parts.[4][5]

References

1. Joel W. Martin & George E. Davis (2001). An Updated Classification of the Recent Crustacea (PDF). Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. pp. 1–132.
2. Louis S. Kornicker (1993). Antarctic and Subantarctic Myodocopina (Ostracoda). Synopses of the Antarctic Benthos. Königstein, Germany: Koeltz Scientific Books. ISBN 978-3-87429-349-5.
3. D. J. Horne; A. C. Cohen & K. Martens (2002). "Taxonomy, morphhology and biology of Quaternary and living Ostracoda". In J. Holmes & A. Chivas (eds.). The Ostracoda: Applications in Quaternary Research. AGV Geophysical Monograph Series. Vol. 131. American Geophysical Union. pp. 5–36. ISBN 0-87590-990-6.
4. David J. Siveter; Mark D. Sutton; Derek E. G. Briggs & Derek J. Siveter (2003). "An ostracode crustacean with soft parts from the Lower Silurian". Science. 302 (5651): 1749–1751. Bibcode:2003Sci...302.1749S. doi:10.1126/science.1091376. PMID 14657495.
5. David J. Siveter; Derek J. Siveter; Mark D. Sutton; Derek E. G. Briggs (2007). "Brood care in a Silurian ostracod". Proceedings of the Royal Society B. 274: 465–469. doi:10.1098/rspb.2006.3756. PMC 1766388. PMID 17476765.