LIMB STRUCTURE AND SEXUAL DIMORPHISM IN THE ANOSTRACA (CRUSTACEA)

Morphological features of the swimming limbs of fairy shrimp representing the families Branchinectidae, Chirocephalidae, Streptocephalidae, and Branchipodidae are described. Except for Branchinecta gigas, which is predaceous. all Branchinecta species exhibit limb structures and behaviour that suggest they are predominantly benthic feeders rather than filter feeders. Sexual differences in limb structure, a feature of Branchinecta, imply that males and females may be trophically segregated. Similar but less striking modifications of limb structure are evident in some Chirocephalidae but not in other families examined. © 1979, National Research Council of Canada.