Summary

The Euphausiids are what are more commonly referred to as krill, they are small crustaceans with a shrimp-like appearance. The worlds' oceans are highly dependent on their presence with the Euphausiids contributing 5-10% to the total zooplankton biomass. They are also one of the main food sources for seabirds, pelagic fishes and whales (Taki,2007). The Euphausiids are quite diverse with 11 different genera and 86 known species but the identification and true diversity is still in need of deeper study (Brinton, et al. 1999). There are a number of identification keys available as explored in Physical Description.

The Euphausiids are characterised by having the basic body plan of a carapace that is fused to the thorax, 5 cephalic, 8 thoracic and 6 abdominal segments (Brinton, et al. 1999). This species is best characterised by its unique lappet which is shaped in a recurve manner hence its name. The lappet is a small process extending dorsally from the first segment of the antennae (Soldevilla, F & Soldevilla, I 1991).