Category: Crustaceans

Mysids

Shrimp-like crustaceans with spherically shaped statocysts (balance organs) on the uropods (tail fan).
Copepods

Small planktonic crustaceans, adult size from ~ 0.2 mm to 10 mm.  Ubiquitous. [N.B. >250 species are reported
from the California Current System, only a few of which are illustrated here.]
Ostracods

Small crustaceans (0.5-6.0 mm) with a bean-shaped bivalved carapace, commonly known as "mussel or seed shrimps."
Hyperiid Amphipods

Small crustaceans (2-42 mm) with large, compound eyes; some species associated with gelatinous zooplankton.
Euphausiids

Pelagic shrimp-like crustaceans with exposed gills, well-developed eyes; most species have 10 photophores.  Adults of local species are smaller than 30 mm.
Decapods

True shrimps, and larvae of lobsters and crabs.  The eyes are often stalked and the gills are always covered by the carapace.  The larval phase is planktonic while the adults may be planktonic or benthic.