Tantulocarida is a small subclass of the class Maxillopoda (ostracods, copepods, barnacles) that consists of about 1200 species. They are typically ectoparasites that infest deep-sea copepods, isopods, tanaids, and ostracods.

Members of this subclass are minute - less than 0.01 inch (0.3 mm) in length - and have a dramatic reduction in body form compared to other crustaceans, with an unsegmented sac-like thorax and a much reduced abdomen.

Tantulocarida contains of five taxonomic families (not all species are listed!):

Basipodellidae

Basipodella atlantica

Stygotantulus stocki (world smallest crustacean)

Deoterthridae

Amphitantulus harpinacheres

Boreotantulus kunzi

Cumoniscus kruppi

Deoterthron aselloticola

Dicrotrichura tricincta

Tantulacus hoegi

Doryphallophoridae

Doryphallophora harrisoni

Microdajidae

Microdajus gaelicus

Microdajus langi

Microdajus pectinatus

Onceroxenidae

Onceroxenus birdi

Onceroxenus curtus

Other Links

• McGraw-HillAccessScience Listing: Tantulocarida (http://www.accessscience.com/Encyclopedia/6/67/Est_677750_frameset.html?doi)
• ITIS Standard Report (http://www.itis.usda.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=621147)
• Crustacea.net (http://www.crustacea.net/crustace/www/tantuloc.htm)