Ostracods are a class of small crustaceans that inhabit both saltwater and freshwater environments. There are approximately 8,000 living species of ostracods. Non-marine ostracods belong to the Order Podocopida, which is comprised of the superfamilies Cypridoidea, Darwinuloidea, and Cytheroidea (Thorp 2015). They are commonly known as seed shrimp due to their small size, typically smaller than a poppy seed or up to 1 mm. Their carapace, the upper shell of crustaceans, is bivalved, giving it the common name mussel shrimp.
