Beachcombers Field Guide - Department Of Fisheries Western ...

Crab
Arthropoda – Malacostraca
If you aren’t lucky enough to
see a crab alive, you may fi nd part of
their hard shell or exoskeleton (external
skeleton) on the beach. The exoskeleton
of crustaceans serves as a suit of armour
and helps protect them from predators.
The animal must periodically shed their
exoskeleton to grow – a process known
as moulting.
Did you know?
Some crabs can spend long
periods of time out of the water.
They keep their gills moist in
special gill chambers and extract
oxygen from the air.