> Which of the following animals is a type of decapod?And the answer: Lobster. Having five pairs of walking limbs gives the decapod its name, since the wordmeans "10 legs" in Latin. The decapod group has some 10,000 species ofcrustaceans, including shrimp, lobsters, and crabs. These animals use acombination of walking and swimming to get around.While there are thousands of species of crustaceans, both land and sea-dwelling,the type most consumed for food are "decapods," or "10 limbed" creatures. Theseinclude crabs, lobsters, prawns, shrimp and crayfish. Interestingly, decapodsare some of the oldest creatures on the planet! These 10-legged creaturesoriginated in the Late Ordovician period around 455 million years ago, with theDendrobranchiata (prawns) being the first group to diverge.Decapods are primarily marine animals and are most abundant in warm, shallowtropical waters. Many types of decapod live in a mutually beneficial way withother species in the same environment. Because crabs and shrimp are primarilyscavengers, they help keep their ecosystems clean by consuming animal wastesthat wouldn't otherwise serve a purpose. Some shrimp even have symbioticrelationships with fish by removing parasites from their mouths and gills.Decapods are incredibly diverse in composition and behavior. While hermit crabsseek out empty shells to use as a protective covering, while other crab speciescan be incredibly social and cooperative. Some types of crab even work togetherto provide food and protection for their families.Learn more about crustaceans and other decapods below.