A group of arthropods with hard external shells, including crabs, lobsters, shrimp, and barnacles. They have jointed legs, segmented bodies, and typically live in aquatic environments.
From Latin 'crusta' meaning 'crust' or 'shell', referring to their hard external covering. The scientific classification was established in the 18th century to group animals with this characteristic crusty exoskeleton.
Crustaceans are the ocean's armored warriors, with some deep-sea species living near hydrothermal vents in water hot enough to kill most other animals! The largest arthropod on Earth is the Japanese spider crab, with legs that can span 12 feet from tip to tip.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.