Taxonomy, morphology and biology of Quaternary and living ostracoda

Ostracods are one of the most diverse groups of living crustaceans, inhabiting marine, non-marine and even some semi-terrestrial habitats. They have an excellent fossil record, primarily due to their possession of a calcified bivalved carapace. A revised classification scheme is presented for Quaternary and living representatives of the Class Ostracoda, comprising the subclasses Myodocopa and Podocopa. The morphology, taxonomy, ontogeny and life histories of ostracods are reviewed and illustrated, paying attention to limbs (soft parts) as well as carapaces (hard parts), with emphasis on the Order Podocopida as the group most likely to be encountered in Quaternary deposits. Diagnostic carapace and limb characteristics are summarized for each of the higher taxonomic categories, including 10 suborders and 16 superfamilies of the orders Myodocopida, Halocyprida, Platycopida, Podocopida and Palaeocopida.