Crustacean Fun Facts

The largest kind of crustacean, the giant spider crab of Japan, measures up to 12 feet (3.7 meters) across between its outstretched claws. The smallest crustaceans, such as water fleas, can be smaller than 1⁄125 inch (0.2 millimeter) long.

Lobsters have teethlike structures in their stomach, which grind partially digested food. The structure is called a gastric mill.

Why are they called fiddler crabs? Male fiddler crabs have one large claw, which they wave in the air to impress females and intimidate other males. If you use some imagination, it looks like the male is playing a fiddle, or violin.

Some species of shrimp are luminescent (LOO muh NEHS uhnt), meaning they produce a faint light.

Soft-shelled crabs are blue crabs that have just molted their shells