Isopods - Isopoda

Characteristics:

The isopods have developed a wide range of different shapes. A common feature to most of them is that the seven pairs of legs have the same form and purpose. Many isopods have a wide, somewhat flattened body, in contrast to the amphipods.

Taxonomy:

There are a total of 4500 registered species of isopods, organized in eight different suborders of Isopoda. The suborder Valvifera consists entirely of marine species and includes many of the most frequently encountered isopods in Norwegian waters.