Krill are small marine animals known as crustaceans, specifically zooplankton (animal plankton) in the order Euphausiacea.

Quick Scoop

  • Krill are multicellular animals in the kingdom Animalia.
  • They are invertebrates (no backbone) and belong to the phylum Arthropoda and subphylum Crustacea, like crabs, lobsters, and shrimp.
  • They are classified as zooplankton: free‑swimming, animal plankton that drift in the ocean and feed mainly on phytoplankton.
  • More precisely, they are shrimp‑like crustaceans in the class Malacostraca and the order Euphausiacea.

One‑line answer

Krill are tiny marine crustaceans (animal plankton, or zooplankton) in the order Euphausiacea.

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