Common name: Malacostracans

Malacostracans are a diverse and fascinating group of crustaceans that include familiar species such as crabs, lobsters, shrimp, and krill. They are the largest class within the subphylum Crustacea and are characterized by their segmented bodies, which typically consist of 19 segments divided among the head, thorax, and abdomen. This segmentation allows for a wide range of adaptations and ecological niches.

In the context of reefkeeping, certain malacostracans, such as cleaner shrimp and hermit crabs, are popular additions to marine aquariums. These creatures not only add visual interest with their vibrant colors and intriguing behaviors but also provide essential ecological services. For instance, cleaner shrimp are known for their symbiotic relationships with fish, where they remove parasites and dead tissue, promoting the health of their tank mates.

Malacostracans exhibit a variety of reproductive strategies, with some species releasing planktonic larvae into the water column, while others brood their young until they are more developed. This diversity in life cycles can affect their care in captivity, as some species might require specific conditions for successful breeding.

From a scientific perspective, malacostracans are of interest due to their complex behaviors and ecological roles in both marine and freshwater environments. They play crucial roles in food webs, serving as both predators and prey, and contribute to the breakdown of organic material, thus recycling nutrients within ecosystems.

When considering adding malacostracans to an aquarium, hobbyists should research the specific needs and compatibility of each species, as their requirements can vary widely. Factors such as tank size, water parameters, and dietary needs must be carefully managed to ensure their health and well-being.

1. 
   Common name: Orangutan Crab

   Scientific name: Achaeus japonicus
2. 
   Common name: Elegant Crinoid Squat Lobster

   Scientific name: Allogalathea elegans
3. 
   Common name: brown snapping shrimp

   Scientific name: Alpheus armatus
4. Common name: Beautiful goby shrimp

   Scientific name: Alpheus bellulus
5. 
   Common name: red snapping shrimp

   Scientific name: Alpheus bisincisus
6. 
   Common name: Djeddah snapping shrimp

   Scientific name: Alpheus djeddensis
7. Common name: Immaculate Pistol Shrimp

   Scientific name: Alpheus immaculatus
8. Common name: fine-striped snapping shrimp

   Scientific name: Alpheus ochrostriatus
9. Common name: Pacific Pistol Shrimp

   Scientific name: Alpheus pacificus
10. 
    Common name: Randall's Pistol Shrimp

    Scientific name: Alpheus randalli
11. Common name: Red-spotted Pistol Shrimp

    Scientific name: Alpheus rubromaculatus
12. Common name: Twin Snapping Shrimp

    Scientific name: Alpheus soror
13. 
    Common name: Holthuis' Shrimp

    Scientific name: Ancylomenes holthuisi
14. 
    Common name: Sarasvati Anemone Shrimp

    Scientific name: Ancylomenes sarasvati
15. 
    Common name: Regal Slipper lobster

    Scientific name: Arctides regalis
16. 
    Common name: Red-leg Hermit Crab

    Scientific name: Calcinus californiensis
17. 
    Common name: Electric Blue Hermit Crab

    Scientific name: Calcinus elegans
18. 
    Common name: Left-handed Hermit Crab

    Scientific name: Calcinus laevimanus
19. 
    Common name: Orangeclaw Hermit Crab

    Scientific name: Calcinus tibicen
20. 
    Common name: Decorator Crab

    Scientific name: Camposcia retusa
21. 
    Common name: Convex Reef Crab

    Scientific name: Carpilius convexus
22. 
    Common name: Seven-eleven Crab

    Scientific name: Carpilius maculatus
23. 
    Common name: Squat Lobster

    Scientific name: Chirostylus dolichopus
24. 
    Common name: Halloween Hermit Crab

    Scientific name: Ciliopagurus strigatus
25. Common name: Henderson's hinge-beak shrimp

    Scientific name: Cinetorhynchus hendersoni
26. 
    Common name: Manning hingebeak

    Scientific name: Cinetorhynchus manningi
27. 
    Common name: reticulated hingebeak

    Scientific name: Cinetorhynchus reticulatus
28. 
    Common name: Dwarf Red Tip Hermit Crab

    Scientific name: Clibanarius digueti
29. Common name: Orange-red Hermit Crab

    Scientific name: Clibanarius rutilus
30. 
    Common name: Blue-legged Hermit Crab

    Scientific name: Clibanarius tricolor
31. 
    Common name: Corallimorph Decorator Crab

    Scientific name: Cyclocoeloma tuberculatum
32. 
    Common name: Blue Knee Hermit Crab

    Scientific name: Dardanus guttatus
33. 
    Common name: Dark Knee Hermit Crab

    Scientific name: Dardanus lagopodes
34. 
    Common name: White-spotted Hermit Crab

    Scientific name: Dardanus megistos
35. 
    Common name: Anemone Hermit Crab

    Scientific name: Dardanus pedunculatus
36. 
    Common name: Horned Sea Pen Shrimp

    Scientific name: Dasycaris ceratops
37. 
    Common name: Zanzibar Whip Coral Shrimp

    Scientific name: Dasycaris zanzibarica
38. Common name: Debelius' Reef Lobster

    Scientific name: Enoplometopus debelius
39. Common name: Bullseye Reef Lobster

    Scientific name: Enoplometopus holthuisi
40. 
    Common name: Red Reef Lobster

    Scientific name: Enoplometopus occidentalis
41. 
    Common name: Antarctic krill

    Scientific name: Euphausia superba
42. Common name: Speckled sea louse

    Scientific name: Eurydice pulchra
43. Common name: Bob Marley Parasite

    Scientific name: Gnathia marleyi
44. 
    Common name: Striped Bumblebee Shrimp

    Scientific name: Gnathophyllum americanum
45. 
    Common name: Peacock Mantis Shrimp

    Scientific name: Gonodactylus chiragra
46. 
    Common name: Peacock Mantis Shrimp

    Scientific name: Gonodactylus smithii
47. 
    Common name: coral shrimp

    Scientific name: Hamodactylus boschmai
48. 
    Common name: Sexy Shrimp

    Scientific name: Hamodactylus noumeae
49. 
    Common name: Mushroom coral shrimp

    Scientific name: Hamopontonia corallicola
50. 
    Common name: Peacock Mantis Shrimp

    Scientific name: Haptosquilla pulchella
51. 
    Common name: Mantis Shrimp

    Scientific name: Hemisquilla ensigera
52. 
    Common name: Calico Box Crab

    Scientific name: Hepatus epheliticus
53. 
    Common name: Soft Coral Crab

    Scientific name: Hoplophrys oatesii
54. 
    Common name: harlequin shrimp

    Scientific name: Hymenocera picta
55. 
    Common name: Leach's Spider Crab

    Scientific name: Inachus phalangium
56. 
    Common name: Janira maculosa

    Scientific name: Janira maculosa
57. Common name: Variable crinoid shrimp

    Scientific name: Laomenes ceratophthalmus
58. 
    Common name: Harlequin Shrimp

    Scientific name: Laomenes cornutus
59. 
    Common name: Banded Arrow Crab

    Scientific name: Latreillia valida
60. 
    Common name: Hairy Squat Lobster

    Scientific name: Lauriea siagiani
61. 
    Common name: Plume shrimp

    Scientific name: Leander plumosus
62. 
    Common name: Harlequin Swimming Crab

    Scientific name: Lissocarcinus laevis
63. 
    Common name: Sea Cucumber Swimming Crab

    Scientific name: Lissocarcinus orbicularis
64. 
    Common name: Pom-pom Crab

    Scientific name: Lybia tessellata
65. 
    Common name: golden mantis shrimp

    Scientific name: Lysiosquilla tredecimdentata
66. 
    Common name: Skunk Cleaner Shrimp

    Scientific name: Lysmata amboinensis
67. Common name: Anker's Pistol Shrimp

    Scientific name: Lysmata ankeri
68. Common name: Peppermint Shrimp

    Scientific name: Lysmata bahia
69. 
    Common name: Peppermint Shrimp

    Scientific name: Lysmata boggessi
70. 
    Common name: lined shrimp

    Scientific name: Lysmata californica
71. 
    Common name: scarlet cleaner shrimp

    Scientific name: Lysmata debelius
72. 
    Common name: cleaner shrimp

    Scientific name: Lysmata grabhami
73. 
    Common name: peppermint shrimp

    Scientific name: Lysmata wurdemanni
74. 
    Common name: Red Sea Feather Star

    Scientific name: Manucomplanus varians
75. 
    Common name: Dragon shrimp

    Scientific name: Miropandalus hardingi
76. 
    Common name: Nodose Clinging Crab

    Scientific name: Mithraculus coryphe
77. 
    Common name: Emerald Crab

    Scientific name: Mithraculus sculptus
78. 
    Common name: Mysis Shrimp

    Scientific name: Mysis relicta
79. 
    Common name: Bull Hydroid Crab

    Scientific name: Naxioides taurus
80. 
    Common name: Smashing Mantis Shrimp

    Scientific name: Neogonodactylus bredini
81. 
    Common name: An opossum shrimp

    Scientific name: Neomysis integer
82. 
    Common name: Spotted Porcelain Crab

    Scientific name: Neopetrolisthes maculates
83. 
    Common name: pink tail mantis shrimp

    Scientific name: Odontodactylus latirostris
84. 
    Common name: Peacock Mantis Shrimp

    Scientific name: Odontodactylus scyllarus
85. 
    Common name: Red Reef Hermit Crab

    Scientific name: Paguristes cadenati
86. 
    Common name: Common Hermit Crab

    Scientific name: Pagurus bernhardus
87. 
    Common name: Stripe-leg spiny lobster

    Scientific name: Panulirus femoristriga
88. 
    Common name: California spiny lobster

    Scientific name: Panulirus interruptus
89. 
    Common name: ornate spiny lobster

    Scientific name: Panulirus ornatus
90. 
    Common name: pronghorn spiny lobster

    Scientific name: Panulirus penicillatus
91. 
    Common name: slipper lobster

    Scientific name: Panulirus versicolor
92. 
    Common name: sugarcane shrimp

    Scientific name: Parhippolyte uveae
93. 
    Common name: sculptured mitten lobster

    Scientific name: Parribacus antarcticus
94. 
    Common name: Sally Lightfoot Crab

    Scientific name: Percnon gibbesi
95. 
    Common name: Flat Rock Crab

    Scientific name: Percnon planissimum
96. 
    Common name: ambon crinoid shrimp

    Scientific name: Periclimenes amboinensis
97. 
    Common name: pacific clown anemone shrimp

    Scientific name: Periclimenes brevicarpalis
98. Common name: Brock's Anemone Shrimp

    Scientific name: Periclimenes brockii
99. 
    Common name: Coleman Shrimp

    Scientific name: Periclimenes colemani
100. 
     Common name: hydroid shrimp

     Scientific name: Periclimenes galene
101. 
     Common name: Holthuis' Shrimp

     Scientific name: Periclimenes holthuisi
102. 
     Common name: emperor shrimp

     Scientific name: Periclimenes imperator
103. 
     Common name: Koror Anemone Shrimp

     Scientific name: Periclimenes kororensis
104. 
     Common name: Harlequin Shrimp

     Scientific name: Periclimenes lanipes
105. 
     Common name: Long-arm Cleaner Shrimp

     Scientific name: Periclimenes longicarpus
106. 
     Common name: Magnificent Shrimp

     Scientific name: Periclimenes magnificus
107. 
     Common name: Pederson cleaner shrimp

     Scientific name: Periclimenes pedersoni
108. 
     Common name: translucent gorgonian shrimp

     Scientific name: Periclimenes psamathe
109. 
     Common name: Emperor Shrimp

     Scientific name: Periclimenes rex
110. 
     Common name: Sea Star Shrimp

     Scientific name: Periclimenes soror
111. 
     Common name: Glass shrimp

     Scientific name: Periclimenes tenuipes
112. 
     Common name: Glass Anemone Shrimp

     Scientific name: Periclimenes tenuis
113. 
     Common name: Periclimenes sarasvati

     Scientific name: Periclimenes tosaensis
114. 
     Common name: graceful anemone shrimp

     Scientific name: Periclimenes venustus
115. 
     Common name: spotted cleaner shrimp

     Scientific name: Periclimenes yucatanicus
116. 
     Common name: Banded Porcelain Crab

     Scientific name: Petrolisthes galathinus
117. Common name: red-striped hermit

     Scientific name: Phimochirus holthuisi
118. Common name: polkadotted hermit

     Scientific name: Phimochirus operculatus
119. 
     Common name: bongo shrimp

     Scientific name: Phyllognathia ceratophthalma
120. Common name: bristly crab

     Scientific name: Pilumnus hirtellus