3D model of a modern crab.

Virtual Collection: Class Malacostraca

This virtual collection was last curated by Jonathan Hendricks on April 24, 2019. Each model is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Unless otherwise indicated, each model was created by Emily Hauf using specimens at the Paleontological Research Institution, Ithaca, New York.

Subclass Eumalacostraca

Order Belotelsonidea


Fossil specimen of the shrimp-like crustacean Belotelson magister from the Pennsylvanian Mazon Creek lagerstätte of Will County, Illinois. Specimen is from the collections of the Paleontological Research Institution, Ithaca, New York. Specimen is preserved inside a concretion. Length of specimen (not including surrounding rock) is approximately 4.5 cm.

Order Decapoda


Family Aethridae

Modern specimen of the crab Hepatus epheliticus (locality information unavailable). Specimen is from the teaching collections of the Paleontological Research Institution, Ithaca, New York. Width of specimen is approximately 10 cm.


Family Calappidae

Modern specimen of the crab Calappa flammea from the Florida Keys (PRI 42120). Specimen is from the collections of the Paleontological Research Institution, Ithaca, New York. Maximum dimension of specimen is approximately 13 cm.


Family Ocypodidae

Fossil specimen of the ghost crab Ocytode quadrata from the Pleistocene Anastasia Formation of Brevard County, Florida (PRI 43014). Specimen is from the collections of the Paleontological Research Institution, Ithaca, New York. Specimen is approximately 15 cm in width.


Family Aegeridae


Fossil shrimp Aeger tipularius from the Jurassic Solnhofen Limestone of German (PRI 50595). Specimen is on display at the Museum of the Earth, Ithaca, New York. Length of specimen is approximately 9.5 cm.


Family Nephropidae


A modern lobster. Length of specimen is 33 cm.

Subclass Phyllocarida


Fossil specimen of the phyllocarid crustacean Echinocaris punctata from the Devonian Ithaca Formation of Tompkins County, New York (PRI 76752). Specimen is from the collections of the Paleontological Research Institution, Ithaca, New York. Specimen (not including surrounding rock) is approximately 5.5 cm in length.