A subclass of parasitic crustaceans (barnacle relatives) that live inside other marine animals and lack typical barnacle shells.
From asco- (sac/bag-like) plus thorax (chest region), referencing their sac-like body shape and thoracic structure.
These bizarre creatures are extreme parasites—they lose their shells, eyes, and legs to become bag-like organisms living inside sponges and sea stars, basically becoming living sperm factories!
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