Brachyura
Crabs, animals of the infraorder Brachyura, are the most commonly occurring taxonomic group in the Yonderverse. 93% of planets in the Milky Way have at least one extant species of crab; 85% of planets have more than ten.
Most crabs are omnivorous, gregarious, and highly adaptable. They are most often seen in aquatic and marine environments, certain species also frequenting land, sky, and even space.
Those in this infraorder are considered True crabs.
Anatomy
Crabs are characterised by a thick exoskeleton made of chitin, the same material seen in fungi. They have six legs and two arms, also known as chelae.
Species in this infraorder vary greatly in size. Some of the smallest measure less than a nanometer, others reaching the size of small planets. Those on the larger scale are found in the depths of space, an example of deep space gigantism.
Caricinisation is a natural phenomenon seen on countless planets. Non-crab crustaceans often evolve a crab-like body plan, over the course of thousands, if not millions of years. The frequency of this occurrence leads some to believe it isn't natural.
Taxonomy
List of Families
AethridaeBelliidae
Calappidae
Cancridae
Carpiliidae
Chasmocarcinidae
Corystidae
Cryptochiridae
Cyclodorippidae
Cymonomidae
Dorippidae
Dotillidae
Dromiidae
Dynomenidae
Epialtidae
Eriphiidae
Ethusidae
Euryplacidae
Galenidae
Gasoneridae*
Gecarcinidae
Gecarcinucidae
Glyptograpsidae
Goneplacidae
Grapsidae
Homolidae
Inachidae
Latrelliidae
Leucosiidae
Macrophthalmidae
Majidae
Mathildellidae
Matutidae
Menippidae
Mictyridae
Norrabiitestidae
Ocypodidae
Orithyiidae
Oziidae
Panopeidae
Parthenopidae
Percnidae
Pilumnidae
Pinnotheridae
Plagusiidae
Polybiidae
Portunidae
Potamidae
Potamonautidae
Pseudothelphusidae
Raninidae
Retroplumidae
Scalopidiidae
Sesarmidae
Tanaochelidae
Trapeziidae
Trichodactylidae
Varunidae
Volomundidae*
Vultocinidae
Xanthidae
Xenograpsidae
Y'know, Brachyura isn't even in the top ten in terms of how many species it contains. And yet not a single planet goes without crabs. It's remarkable!
True crabs are in the order Decapoda, under the class Malacostraca. They are closely related to Anomura, an infraorder containing hermit crabs.
Planet Earth is home to approximately seven thousand species of crabs. The vast majority of the families in Brachyura were designed by humans, then used to classify crabs on other planets.
One of the most well known families of crabs are commonly known as space wanderer crabs. The family, Volumundidae, contains nearly nine thousand species and can be found in nearly every corner of space. The type species, the Molten star crab, swarm asteroid belts in their billions, a sea of bright orange and white infiltrating the Galactic Highway during breeding season.
Approximately 170 million
Encompassing Species
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Comments
Author's Notes
Families with a * indicate one I've designed myself. The rest were taken from here. Sometimes I just like to write about existing taxonomic groups. I enjoy getting to learn more about real life animals, and then put a twist on them to add more varieties to the Yonderverse. Crabs are iconic, and I want an unimaginable amount in my world!