Bizarre Beasts Pin: Tadpole Shrimp

Tadpole shrimp are neither tadpoles nor shrimp. Scientists know these strange critters as members of the order Notostraca, which comes from the Greek words for ‘back’ and ‘shell,’ as well as members of the only family in that order, Triopsidae. ‘Triops’ means ‘three eyes.’

Like shrimp, they are crustaceans, but they come from a different lineage that first appeared hundreds of millions of years ago, and they’ve looked pretty much the same the whole time. And their superpower is waiting, which makes a lot of sense for an aquatic animal that can live in the desert. 

DETAILS

• Dimensions: 1.25" long (3.175cm)
• Double-pin posts and butterfly clasp
• Designed by Ceri Thomas
  
• Some very lucky recipients might receive an Uncommon or Rare variant of this pin.