I never knew that this animal could be used as food.
Crab, a land- or water-dwelling crustacean with a short, flat body that is nearly circular. The crab is related to the crayfish, lobster, and shrimp. The head and thorax are fused together to form a shell, or carapace. The carapace is composed of chitin, a horny substance that is waterproof. The two eyes, supported on stalks, flank two pairs of hairlike antennae (feelers). Crabs have 10 legs. In some species, the front two are modified to form large, pincerlike claws. In ocean-dwelling crabs that swim, the two hind legs function as paddles.
Crabs molt (shed their shells) as they grow. A new shell forms in several days. While the new shell is forming, the crab is known as a soft-shell crab. It is defenseless during this time.
Several kinds of crabs are used as food by humans. The most important is the common blue crab of the Atlantic coast. These crabs may be caught by using a piece of meat as bait on a line. The crab seizes the bait in its pincers and can be drawn to the surface and captured. Soft-shell crabs are considered delicacies.
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