Childrens Illustrated Encyclopedia

SHRIMPS AND PRAWNS

These little sea creatures are good scavengers. During the

day, they dig into the sand and hide. At night they emerge

to hunt for food using their long feelers. When in danger,

prawns and shrimps escape by scooting backward with

a flick of their tail fan.

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WHERE CRUSTACEANS LIVE

Some crustaceans, such as the yabby

(a freshwater shrimp) and the water

flea, live in rivers and lakes. A few

crustaceans live on land. The

woodlouse, for example, can be

found under dead leaves and in

damp woodland areas.

Six segments on abdomen

Eye on

stalk

Tail fan

Tail fan

Long antenna

(feeler)

Carapace over
front part
of body

Four pairs of
walking limbs

Feeding

claw

Shrimp

Prawn

THOUSANDS OF DIFFERENT kinds of crabs scuttle

over our sandy shores and skulk in rock pools. They

range from tiny parasitic crabs living inside mussels

to the giant Japanese spider crab, whose legs can be

more than 10 ft (3 m) long. Crabs breathe underwater

using gills, but some can also survive out of water for

a long time. All crabs are protected by

strong, hard shells like a suit of

armor on the outside of

their bodies. Crabs, along

with lobsters and crayfish,

belong to the animal group called crustaceans.

Their bodies are divided into sections, with

jointed limbs and two pairs of antennae

on the head. A crab begins life as an egg,

which develops into a larva, then into

an adult crab. Each time the crab

reaches another growing stage, it sheds

the outer layer of its shell, revealing

a new layer beneath.

BARNACLES

These sea crustaceans

have no heads. Their

long, feathery legs beat the

water, collecting tiny food

particles. Acorn barnacles live

in volcano-shaped shells

cemented on to rocks.

Goose barnacles

attach themselves

to driftwood by

their stalks.

Feeding claw

CRABS

Eight walking legs

Telson (tailpiece)

Yabby

Crushing claw

Antenna

Water flea

Goose

barnacles Woodlouse

Find out more

Animals

Ocean wildlife

Seashore wildlife

Long

antenna

(feeler)

AND OTHER CRUSTACEANS

HERMIT CRAB
The hermit crab often makes
its home in the empty shell
of a whelk, which protects it
from predators such as gulls.

Eye on

stalk

Carapace

LOBSTER (shell)

The lobster scavenges on the seabed for

dead fish and other animal remains. One
claw has blunt knobs for crushing; the other

has sharp “teeth” for cutting. The biggest
lobsters are 2 ft (60 cm)

long and can live
nearly as long as

humans— up
to 70 years.

Acorn

barnacles

Antenna

EDIBLE CRAB

The so-called edible

crab is only one of many

kinds of crustaceans that

are caught, cooked, and

eaten by people around

the world.

Fiddler

crab

Huge

claw for

defense