Crustaceans

Hello! I’m a crustacean, and I’m part of a very big and diverse family. Have you ever seen a crab walking sideways on the beach, or a tiny shrimp swimming in the water? They are my relatives! So are lobsters and even the little pill bugs you might find under a rock. The most special thing about me is my hard outer shell, which is called an exoskeleton. It’s like wearing my own personal suit of armor that protects me wherever I go. This tough shell keeps me safe from bumps and from other animals who might think I look like a tasty snack. My exoskeleton is what makes all of us in the crustacean family strong and ready for adventure in the water and on land. It’s a very important part of who I am.

My strong exoskeleton is great for protection, but it has one little problem—it doesn’t grow! As I get bigger on the inside, my shell gets very tight. So, what do I do? I have to wiggle my way right out of it! This exciting process is called molting. I squirm and shake until my old shell comes off, and underneath is a brand new, bigger one. But my new shell is very soft at first, so I have to be careful. I find a safe place to hide, like under a big rock or deep inside some seaweed, while I wait for my new armor to get hard and strong. My family members do this in all sorts of places. We live all over the world, from the deepest parts of the ocean to fresh, flowing rivers. Even my cousin, the pill bug, molts on land!

My family and I have a very important job in the world. We are known as the world’s cleanup crew! In the water, we are always busy nibbling on leftover bits of food and tiny plants that other animals leave behind. By eating all of this stuff, we help keep the oceans, rivers, and ponds clean and healthy for everyone who lives there. We are also a very important part of the food chain. This means that we provide delicious meals for other animals like fish, sea birds, and even clever octopuses. Our family has been doing this job for a very, very long time. Our great-great-great grandparents were swimming in the oceans during the Cambrian Period, which was millions and millions of years ago, long before the first dinosaurs ever walked the Earth.

After all those years, my big crustacean family is still here today, working hard to keep our homes healthy. We swim in the deep blue sea, crawl along riverbeds, and even scurry around in gardens. We are a huge and helpful team that helps balance nature. The next time you visit a beach, look into a pond, or lift up a stone in your yard, look closely. You might see one of my relatives, like a crab, a crayfish, or a little pill bug, doing its important job. We are almost everywhere, working together to help take care of our wonderful planet.