Ostracods
The order of the Ostracoda belongs to the class Crustacea (crayfish like animals) and the phylum Arthropoda. Ostracods live on the seafloor and also in freshwater.
The "shell" of this animal is often well preserved and consists of two halves. The size of the shell is commonly only a few millimetres, but some species can grow to a size up to a few centimetres.
Example of an ostracod from Gotland, Sweden.
 Click here for information where to find these fossils.
 Go to the Photo page to view photographs of Ostracods. |
