Belzebub is a genus of prawns in the family Luciferidae. The species which make up the genus Belzebub were formerly placed in the genus Lucifer but were separated to form Belzebub after a cladistic analysis.[1] They are very small planktonic and benthic prawns with an extreme lateral compression of the carapace with elongated mandibles and anteriors of the pereiopods but lacking pereiopods 4 and 5 and any gills. The pereiopods either lack chelae or they are substantially reduced. The sixth abdominal segment of males has two ventral processes and the telson has a strong ventral process.[2]
Belzebub is distinguished from the related Lucifer by have medium length eyestalks and by both sexes having similar eyes, in the species in Lucifer there is sexual dimorphism in the size of the eyes. In addition, the ventral process of the two on the male's sixth segment is straight and tapering rather than curved and obtuse.[1]
The generic name Belzebub is derived from an older English version of the biblical Beelzebub and the authors of the name used this version as it was shorter than others. They chose it because it is an alternative name for the devil who is also referred to as Lucifer, although in the case of the genus Lucifer the name literally means "light bearer" in Latin referring to the bioluminescence produced by the prawns in that genus.[1]
There are 5 species which make up the genus Belzebub:[1]