| Dahlella caldariensis | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Crustacea |
| Class: | Malacostraca |
| Order: | Leptostraca |
| Family: | Nebaliidae |
| Genus: |
Dahlella Hessler, 1984 |
| Species: | D. caldariensis |
| Binomial name | |
|
Dahlella caldariensis Hessler, 1984 |
|
Dahlella caldariensis is a species of leptostracan crustacean which lives on hydrothermal vents in the Pacific Ocean.
Dahlella may reach a length of 8.1 mm (0.32 in) from the base of the rostrum to the end of the abdomen. Much of the animal is covered by a large, hinged carapace. Dahlella can be distinguished from other animals in the same family by the presence of a row of denticles (small teeth) on the eyestalks, which it is believed are used to scrape surfaces for food. A similar character is found in Paranebalia (Paranebaliidae), but the form of the eyestalk is very different in the two taxa.
D. caldariensis has been recorded from a small number of sites around hydrothermal vents in the eastern Pacific Ocean near the Galápagos Islands and on the East Pacific Rise. It is one of the deepest-living species of Leptostraca, having been found at depths of over 2,300 m (7,500 ft).
The generic name Dahlella commemorates the biologist Erik Dahl of the University of Lund. The specific epithet comes from the Latin word meaning hot bath, and is a reference to the natural habitat of D. caldariensis.