| Triops longicaudatus | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Branchiopoda |
| Subclass: | Phyllopoda |
| Superorder: | Calmanostraca |
| Order: | Notostraca |
| Family: | Triopsidae |
| Genus: | Triops |
| Species: | T. longicaudatus
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| Binomial name | |
| Triops longicaudatus (LeConte, 1846)
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| The range of Triops longicaudatus | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Apus longicaudatus LeConte, 1846 | |
Triops longicaudatus (commonly called American tadpole shrimp or longtail tadpole shrimp) is a freshwater crustacean of the order Notostraca, resembling a miniature horseshoe crab. It is characterized by an elongated, segmented body, a flattened shield-like brownish carapace covering two thirds of the thorax, and two long filaments on the abdomen. The genus name Triops comes from Greek ὤψ or ṓps, meaning "eye" prefixed with Latin tri-, "three", in reference to its three eyes. Longicaudatus is a Latin neologism combining longus ("long") and caudatus ("tailed"), referring to its long tail structures. Triops longicaudatus is found in fresh water ponds and pools, often in places where few higher forms of life can exist.