| Stenopodidea Temporal range: Late Cretaceous–Recent |
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|---|---|
| Stenopus hispidus | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Crustacea |
| Class: | Malacostraca |
| Order: | Decapoda |
| Suborder: | Pleocyemata |
| Infraorder: | Stenopodidea Claus, 1872 |
| Families | |
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The Stenopodidea is a small group of decapod crustaceans. Often confused with shrimp or prawns, they are neither, but belong in a group closer to the reptant decapods, such as lobsters and crabs. They may be easily recognised by their third pereiopod (walking leg), which is greatly enlarged.[1] In the lobsters and crabs, it is the first pereiopod that is much bigger than the others. There are 71 extant species currently recognised, divided into 12 genera.[1] Two fossil species are also recognised, each belonging to a separate genus.[2] The earliest fossil assigned to the Stenopodidea is Jilinicaris chinensis from the Late Cretaceous.[3]