Wildlife Species Library

Identification guides, behavior notes, and camera tips for the wildlife visiting backyard habitats across the EverydayEarth community.

Showing 1-36 of 42 species

American Lobster
Crustaceans

American Lobster

Homarus americanus

The heavyweight champion of the Atlantic coast, the American Lobster is a fascinating architect of the seafloor known...

Asian Shore Crab
Crustaceans

Asian Shore Crab

Hemigrapsus sanguineus

A pint-sized powerhouse of the coastline, the Asian Shore Crab is easily identified by its square shell and 'zebra-st...

Atlantic Blue Crab
Crustaceans

Atlantic Blue Crab

Callinectes sapidus

The sapphire-clawed sovereign of the salt marsh, the Atlantic Blue Crab is as famous for its aggressive personality a...

Atlantic Ghost Crab
Crustaceans

Atlantic Ghost Crab

Ocypode quadrata

A master of camouflage and the fastest sprinter on the sand, the Atlantic Ghost Crab is the moonlit guardian of the A...

Atlantic Mud Crab
Crustaceans

Atlantic Mud Crab

Panopeus herbstii

The Atlantic Mud Crab is the heavyweight champion of the marsh, sporting powerful black-tipped claws designed to crus...

Atlantic Sand Crab
Crustaceans

Atlantic Sand Crab

Emerita talpoida

The invisible engineers of the shoreline, Atlantic Sand Crabs are master burrowers that dance with the tides. Watch t...

Baltic prawn
Crustaceans

Baltic prawn

Palaemon adspersus

A master of disguise within the seagrass, the Baltic prawn is a vital member of the coastal ecosystem. Known for its ...

Bay Ghost Shrimp
Crustaceans

Bay Ghost Shrimp

Neotrypaea californiensis

The pale, hardworking architect of the Pacific mudflats, the Bay Ghost Shrimp spends its life engineering a hidden wo...

Bay Prawn
Crustaceans

Bay Prawn

Metapenaeus bennettae

The Bay Prawn is the hidden gem of eastern Australian waterways, famous for its 'greasy' texture and vibrant green ta...

Blue Mud Shrimp
Crustaceans

Blue Mud Shrimp

Upogebia pugettensis

The Blue Mud Shrimp is a master architect of the West Coast's muddy shores. These fascinating 'mud lobsters' build co...

Brown Tiger Prawn
Crustaceans

Brown Tiger Prawn

Penaeus esculentus

Meet the 'Tiger of the Reef,' a master of camouflage that rules the Australian seafloor under the cover of darkness. ...

California Spiny Lobster
Crustaceans

California Spiny Lobster

Panulirus interruptus

The California Spiny Lobster is the 'red ghost' of the Pacific kelp forests. Lacking the heavy claws of its Atlantic ...

Caribbean Spiny Lobster
Crustaceans

Caribbean Spiny Lobster

Panulirus argus

The Caribbean Spiny Lobster is a master of the night, known for its vibrant spotted shell and the incredible 'conga l...

Common Prawn
Crustaceans

Common Prawn

Palaemon serratus

The ghost of the rocky shore, the Common Prawn is a master of transparency and agility. Watch as these striped scaven...

Common Shore Crab
Crustaceans

Common Shore Crab

Paragrapsus gaimardii

The resilient 'janitor' of the Australian coast, this mottled crustacean is a master of the intertidal zone. Watch as...

Dungeness Crab
Crustaceans

Dungeness Crab

Metacarcinus magister

A coastal icon of the Pacific Northwest, the Dungeness Crab is as famous for its sweet meat as it is for its fascinat...

Eastern King Prawn
Crustaceans

Eastern King Prawn

Penaeus plebejus

A master of the Australian coastline, the Eastern King Prawn is famous for its striking blue-tipped tail and its epic...

Eastern school shrimp
Crustaceans

Eastern school shrimp

Metapenaeus macleayi

A staple of Australia's eastern estuaries, the Eastern school shrimp is a master of camouflage that comes to life und...

European Green Crab
Crustaceans

European Green Crab

Carcinus maenas

A champion of the intertidal zone, the European Green Crab is a master of survival. With its five-spined shell and in...

European lobster
Crustaceans

European lobster

Homarus gammarus

Meet the sapphire sentinel of the seabed. The European lobster is a master of the rocky Atlantic coast, famous for it...

Flatback Mud Crab
Crustaceans

Flatback Mud Crab

Eurypanopeus depressus

A hidden gem of the Atlantic coast, the Flatback Mud Crab is a master of the oyster reef. Though small in stature, th...

Giant Ghost Shrimp
Crustaceans

Giant Ghost Shrimp

Neotrypaea gigas

The pale, hardworking architect of the Pacific mudflats. The Giant Ghost Shrimp builds hidden underground cities bene...

Lesser Blue Crab
Crustaceans

Lesser Blue Crab

Callinectes similis

Meet the Lesser Blue Crab, the smaller and swifter relative of the famous Atlantic Blue Crab. A master of the salt ma...

Mangrove Tree Crab
Crustaceans

Mangrove Tree Crab

Aratus pisonii

The ultimate arboreal acrobat of the coast, the Mangrove Tree Crab is a tiny powerhouse that lives its life high abov...

Norway lobster
Crustaceans

Norway lobster

Nephrops norvegicus

Meet the architect of the deep-sea mudflats. The Norway lobster is a vibrant, coral-colored master of the Atlantic fl...

Ornate Blue Crab
Crustaceans

Ornate Blue Crab

Callinectes ornatus

Meet the Ornate Blue Crab, the smaller and more vibrant cousin of the Atlantic Blue Crab. Found dancing through the s...

Oyster Pea Crab
Crustaceans

Oyster Pea Crab

Zaops ostreum

The ultimate coastal hitchhiker, the Oyster Pea Crab lives a secret life of luxury hidden inside the shells of living...

Pacific Rock Crab
Crustaceans

Pacific Rock Crab

Romaleon antennarium

The heavy-hitter of the West Coast tide pools, the Pacific Rock Crab is a powerful predator recognizable by its brick...

Pacific Sand Crab
Crustaceans

Pacific Sand Crab

Emerita analoga

The invisible engineer of the shoreline, the Pacific Sand Crab lives its life in the blur of crashing waves and shift...

Pea Crab
Crustaceans

Pea Crab

Pinnotheres pisum

A tiny, translucent squatter that makes its home inside the shells of mussels and oysters. The Pea Crab is a master o...

Pink Shrimp
Crustaceans

Pink Shrimp

Penaeus duorarum

The 'Pink Gold' of the Gulf, this translucent crustacean is a master of disguise and a nocturnal engine of the coasta...

Purple Mottled Shore Crab
Crustaceans

Purple Mottled Shore Crab

Cyclograpsus granulosus

A gem of the Australian rocky shores, the Purple Mottled Shore Crab is a swift and secretive scavenger. Its beautiful...

Purple Rock Crab
Crustaceans

Purple Rock Crab

Leptograpsus variegatus

The ultimate coastal acrobat, the Purple Rock Crab brings a flash of royal color to the world's most rugged shoreline...

Red Rock Crab
Crustaceans

Red Rock Crab

Cancer productus

Nicknamed the 'Pearl of the Pacific Northwest,' the Red Rock Crab is a crimson-colored powerhouse of the West Coast t...

Regal Slipper Lobster
Crustaceans

Regal Slipper Lobster

Arctides regalis

Meet the 'ula-papapa'—a master of disguise cloaked in royal purple and orange. This secretive crustacean swaps tradit...

Ridged Slipper Lobster
Crustaceans

Ridged Slipper Lobster

Scyllarides nodifer

The ultimate master of marine disguise, the Ridged Slipper Lobster swaps flashy claws for a heavy-duty, armored shell...

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