brood chamber

brood chamber: 1. (Arthropoda: Crustacea) a. In Cladocera, a dorsal space between the trunk and enveloping carapace containing developing eggs and newly hatched young. b. In Peracarida, a space arising from the coxae of the thoracic limbs, forming a marsupium in which eggs develop directly, without external metamorphosis.

2. (Arthropoda: Insecta) see brood canal.

3. (Bryozoa) a. In Gymnolaemata, water-filled space partly enclosed by the body wall of one or more polymorphs, in which embryos grow during development. See also ovicell. b. In Stenolaemata, a zooidal or extrazooidal internal coelomic chamber that encloses eggs developing into larvae.

4. (Echinodermata) see marsupium.

5. (Mollusca: Gastropoda) In female Argonauta, a beautiful, calcareous, bivalve case secreted by the two dorsal arms into which the eggs are deposited; females retain and usually remain with the posterior of her body in the case; when disturbed, she withdraws completely into the retreat.