Malacostraca n 1: largest subclass of Crustacea including most of the well- known marine, freshwater, and terrestrial crustaceans: crabs; lobsters; shrimps; sow bugs; beach flies [syn: {Malacostraca}, {subclass Malacostraca}]
Malacostraca \Mal`a*cos"tra*ca\, prop. n. pl. [NL., from Gr. malako`s soft + ? shell of a testacean.] (Zool.) A subclass of Crustacea, including Arthrostraca and Thoracostraca, or all those higher than the Entomostraca. [1913 Webster]