pereopod

animal anatomy

Also known as: pleopod

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Last updated

July 14, 2026

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Pereopods are the walking legs of crustaceans, specifically referring to the five pairs of thoracic legs found in decapods. These appendages are crucial for locomotion and can vary significantly in form and function across different crustacean species. In decapods, the anterior thoracic appendages can also function as mouthparts, while the posterior pairs are typically the walking legs, or pereiopods. The structure of pereiopods can be adapted for various lifestyles, such as walking on the bottom or swimming.123

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malacostracan
Size range and diversity of structure
…or ventrolateral, biramous limbs called pereopods, or pleopods, which are primarily used in swimming. In the males of all eucaridans, hoplocarids, isopods, some hemicarids and syncarids, and rarely some amphipods, the anterior one or two pairs may be specially modified for sperm transfer. In males of most mysidaceans, the fourth…
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…or ventrolateral, biramous limbs called pereopods, or pleopods, which are primarily used in swimming. In the males of all eucaridans, hoplocarids, isopods, some hemicarids and syncarids, and rarely some amphipods, the anterior one or two pairs may be specially modified for sperm transfer. In males of most mysidaceans, the fourth…
Read More