Pleocyemata


Pleocyemata is a suborder of decapod crustaceans, erected by Martin Burkenroad in 1963. Burkenroad's classification replaced the earlier sub-orders of Natantia and Reptantia with the monophyletic groups Dendrobranchiata and Pleocyemata. Pleocyemata contains all the members of the Reptantia, as well as the Stenopodidea, and Caridea, which contains the true shrimp. Pleocyemata comprises the following infraorders:
These taxa are united by a number of features, the most important of which is that the fertilised eggs are by the female, and remain stuck to the pleopods until the zoea larvae are ready to hatch. It is this characteristic that gives the group its name. Pleocyemata also possess a lamellar gill structure as opposed to the branched found in Dendrobranchiata.
The earliest fossil representative is the Devonian Palaeopalaemon.