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David A
Space Pope
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Okay, let me see if I can explain this better.
Crabs, lobsters, crayfish, and shrimp all belong to a group of animals called crustaceans. The scientific name for this group is class Decapoda. "Decapoda" is Latin for "ten legs". They have this name because these animals all have ten legs. (In many cases, the first pair of legs are modified into a pair of claws/pincers, but those still count as legs.)
Now, Zoidberg's people may not have ten limbs, but they do resemble crustaceans/decapods in other ways. The name "Decapodian" is one of the many geekish inside jokes that Futurama is full of. In this case, you have to know your biology to get the joke.
If you want an explanation for the name in the context of the show, try this: Decapodian isn't the original name of their race. Their own name for themselves is something in their own language which is difficult, if not impossible for humans to pronounce. When they first came to earth, they were given the name Decapodians by humans who thought that they resembled crustaceans. They even refer to themselves as Decapodians when speaking English; but in their own language, they probably still use the original name for their race.
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Sil
Professor
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Ah - shit! I'll change it now.
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