A group of crustaceans that includes hermit crabs, porcelain crabs, and coconut crabs, characterized by an asymmetrical or reduced abdominal structure.
From Greek 'anomos' (irregular, abnormal) and 'oura' (tail), literally 'irregular-tailed.' Used in modern crustacean taxonomy.
Anomurans are nature's opportunists—hermit crabs don't grow their own shells like normal crabs, they steal snail shells and carry them around, which means their whole bodies evolved to be weird and asymmetrical to fit inside.
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