Crustaceans
Some shelled, some not, this huge group of mostly marine invertebrates includes crabs, crayfishes, lobsters, shrimp and barnacles.
Tasmanian King Crab
Burly is the best way to describe the Tasmanian king crab, one of the world's largest crab species. The female's broad, oval carapace, or outer shell, can be larger than a football, and she can weigh 15 pounds. The male can be twice as massive! Both sexes are equipped with two claws. The female uses her equal-sized claws to hunt and eat slow-moving smaller crabs, snails and sea stars, or scavenge the seafloor for carrion. The male, however, has one supersized claw that, despite its menacing giant pincer, is all for display. He waves it to impress a mate or chase off a competitor.
Caribbean Lobsters Stay Local
Lobster larvae may be little, but they can travel a long, long way. While larvae can drift between continents, Caribbean spiny lobsters are most likely to stay within the basin in which they were born, according to recent findings by a team including Shedd scientist Andy Kough. This new knowledge may enhance sustainable management across the Caribbean.
American lobster
Tasmanian king crab
Australian southern rock lobster
Mantis shrimp
Brine shrimp