Gigantocypris

Gigantocypris, sometimes known as giant ostracod or giant seed shrimp, is a genus of ostracod crustaceans in family Cypridinidae, and among the most well-known members of the class Ostracoda (together with Vargula hilgendorfii). Its members are extremely large for ostracods, measuring up to across, have a globular shape, are typically semi-transparent orange or reddish, and have a large pair of mirror-like eyes that are used to locate their small animal prey. They are found worldwide in dark, deep and cold oceans.

==Range and habitat== Gigantocypris are ubiquitous in open oceans around the world, ranging from tropical to polar regions. Although locally abundant, the distributions of the individual species are often not well known. Gigantocypris dracontovalis is found worldwide, mostly deeper than the other species. Gigantocypris agassizi is essentially a widespread Pacific species, and Gigantocypris muelleri a widespread Atlantic and Southern Ocean species, but there are also a few possible records of the former in the Atlantic, and a few records of the latter in the Pacific and Indian oceans. Gigantocypris australis and Gigantocypris danae are only known from the Southwestern Pacific and Western Indian Ocean, respectively.