Krill - Euphausiacea

Characteristics:

In contrast to the shrimps and other decapods, krill have more than ten legs. All species have five pair used for locomotion, but additionally they have several front pairs used for feeding and grooming. A total of eleven pair of legs are common. The gills are too large to be covered by the transparent shell.

Krill exists in huge masses in all oceans around the world. It is a key species near the bottom of the food chain, providing food directly or indirectly for the majority of marine species. The increased human harvest of krill is of major concern for many marine biologists.

Taxonomy:

Krill (Euphausiacea) constitute, like the decapods, isopods and amphipods, a separate order of the class Malacostraca. Twelve species of krill are known from Norwegian waters. The common name krill is a Norwegian word meaning "young fry of fish".