crustaceans library

There are more than 52,000 species of Crustaceans in the world which include popular marine animals like lobsters, crabs, shrimp, crayfish and barnacles. Smaller crustacean breathe through their bodies and larger ones breathe through gills.

Featured Article: Crab

Crab, a land- or water-dwelling crustacean with a short, flat body that is nearly circular. See more »

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Is there a 400 pound lobster out there?

Although no one can yet tell how old lobsters get, they show no apparent signs of aging. Learn why lobsters live so long and get so big, and what this means for other animals, including humans.

Barnacle

Barnacle, a small saltwater animal with a protective shell-like covering. There are more than 1,000 species.

Crab

Crab, a land- or water-dwelling crustacean with a short, flat body that is nearly circular.

Crayfish

Crayfish, or Crawfish, colloquially called crawdad, a freshwater crustacean related to the lobster.

Crustacean

Crustacean, a member of a large class of animals with segmented bodies. Crustaceans belong to the same major division, or phylum, of the animal kingdom as insects and spiders.

Hermit Crab

Hermit Crab, a land- or water-dwelling crustacean. Unlike true crabs, hermit crabs have soft, vulnerable abdomens.

Lobster

Lobster, sea-dwelling animal related to the crayfish, shrimp, and crab. Lobster meat is considered a delicacy.

Shrimp

Shrimp, an animal found in both freshwater and saltwater throughout the world. Like its relatives the lobsters, crabs, and crayfish, the shrimp is a crustacean.

Coconut Crab

Coconut (or Robber) Crab, a crustacean found on islands of the South Pacific and Indian Oceans.

Daphnia

Daphnia, or Water Flea, a freshwater shellfish that swims with jerky motions. It is a food for larger fishes.

Fairy Shrimp

Fairy Shrimp, a crustacean that inhabits woodland pools in the eastern United States.

Krill

Krill, shrimplike crustaceans that inhabit the open seas. There are more than 90 species, found from the surface of the ocean to a depth of 6,000 feet (1,800 m).