This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The zebra mussel hails originally from the lakes of southern Russia and Ukraine. But they have been accidentally introduced around the world. Since the 1980s, this species has invaded the Great Lakes, the Hudson River, and also Lake Travis, to name just a few fresh water bodies. They get their […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The blue mussel, aka the common mussel, is a filter-feeding, bivalve mollusk that is found in intertidal and shallow, subtidal zones throughout the world. Even though they are subjected to over-fishing and siltation (when water becomes dirty due to fine mineral particles in the water) – as a result of […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The abalone is a gastropod mollusk (snail) that inhabits tropical and temperate coastal waters off the coasts of Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Africa, and North America. These sea snails have a rather bland and camouflaged outer shell yet a brilliant opalescent inner shell appearance. Most are listed as Least […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The oyster is just the common name for a multitude of different species of bivalves. There are true oysters, pearl oysters, and more. Some are harvested for their coveted pearl, some for their meat, and some for their translucent shells. These simple looking creatures aren’t necessarily attractive to look at […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

Found in the tropical waters of the Pacific & Indian oceans, in Australia, Japan, Micronesia, and Thailand, the giant clam is the largest known sessile (attached to the ground) mollusk in the world. These mollusks prefer lagoons and coral reefs with plenty of sunlight. Due to their size and beauty, […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

Surviving for around 450 million years, the horseshoe crab has changed little over the millions of years. Hence they are known as living fossils. They get their name from the shape of their carapace. Horseshoes are not true crabs, nor even crustaceans; although they are a subdivision of arthropods. These […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The Alaskan king crab, aka red king crab, is the largest of all known crab species boasting a 6 foot legspan! There are around 120 known species of king crab. Most of these species can be found in the warm waters of the Southern hemisphere. However, we are focusing on […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

Renown as a west coast delicacy, the Dungeness crab is a very sought after crustacean. This crab can be found off the coasts of Alaska, Western Canada, Washington, Oregon, and California. This crab was named after the Dungeness Spit, a sandy stretch of land located in Northwest Washington. These critters […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The peacock mantis shrimp, aka “thumb-splitter”, is a small, defensive marine crustacean that lives in tropical and subtropical waters of the Pacific and Indian oceans from Hawaii to Eastern Africa. They are part of the same family as lobsters, crabs, shrimp, crayfish, and krill. There are 450 known species of […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The Pacific mole crab, aka sand crab is found from Madelena Bay (Baja California) to Kodiak Island (Alaska). They have to deal with crashing waves, constantly shifting sand, tides coming in and out, seasonally changing beaches, and aquatic, land, and aerial based predators (including curious kiddos) on a daily basis. […]

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