Pseudastacus

High school (ages 12+)
Animals & Nature

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/pseudastacus

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. How big is Pseudastacus?Maximum total length of 6 cm (2.4 inches)
2. What is the scientific name?Pseudastacus
3. What is the habitat?Marine environments across Europe (Germany, France, England) and potentially Lebanon
4. When did Pseudastacus live?They lived a long time ago, first appearing in the early Jurassic period and possibly staying alive until the late Cretaceous. That means they existed for more than 100 million years.
5. Where have scientists found fossils of Pseudastacus?Fossils have been found in Europe, especially in the Solnhofen Limestone of Germany, as well as in France and England. Some evidence also suggests they might have lived in what is now Lebanon.

Decapod Crustaceans: A large order of crustaceans characterized by having ten legs, including crabs, lobsters, shrimp, and crayfish.
Paleobiogeography: The study of the geographic distribution of extinct organisms and the historical factors that influenced it.
Phylogeny: The evolutionary history and relationships among individuals or groups of organisms.