Order Decapoda

Animals in the order Decapoda on Global Animal Guide. The guide features 6 species in this order — each profile answers the most-searched questions first.

Coconut crab climbing a palm tree trunk at night showing its large orange-brown body and powerful claws

Vulnerable

Invertebrate

Coconut Crab

The world's largest land arthropod and tree-climbing island giant

Pistol shrimp with one oversized snapping claw emerging from reef burrow beside goby partner

Least Concern

Invertebrate

Pistol Shrimp

Cavitation snapper of reef burrows

Japanese spider crab with long spindly legs and knobby carapace on deep Pacific slope

Least Concern

Invertebrate

Japanese Spider Crab

Record-span scavenger of Pacific depths

Blue crab with bright blue claws and a broad shell on a sandy estuary bottom

Least Concern

Invertebrate

Blue Crab

The swift swimming crab of Atlantic estuaries

Dark blue-green American lobster with large front claws on a rocky seabed

Least Concern

Invertebrate

American Lobster

The long-lived clawed crustacean of cold seas

Hermit crab peeking out of a spiral snail shell on wet sand

Least Concern

Invertebrate

Hermit Crab

The crustacean that wears borrowed shells