exoskeleton, that protects and supports the
muscles and organs within, and many rigid
appendages that are adapted to a variety of
purposes, including swimming, crawling, and
attacking prey. Most edible crustaceans are
“decapods,” meaning they have five pairs of
legs, one of which is sometimes greatly
enlarged into claws. The meat of crustaceans
is mainly skeletal muscle like that of fish and
our land livestock. (Notable exceptions are the
immobile barnacles, prized in Spain and
South America.)
Because they’re mobile, carnivorous, and
often cannibalistic, crustaceans aren’t as easy
to farm as molluscs. The greatest success has
come with the shrimps, thanks to their ability
to grow rapidly on both plant feeds and very
small animals.
Crustacean Anatomy All crustaceans share
the same basic body plan, which can be
divided roughly into two parts. The forward