Flexi Says: There are nearly 7,000 known species of crabs. Just under 1,500 of these are freshwater crabs and the remainder live in the oceans. Crabs are benthic, meaning they live most of their lives on the bottoms of water bodies. The majority of crab species live on the ocean floor. Some species live at or close to shore while others live in various depths of the sea. Many crab species are adapted to life on the deep ocean floor, including deep sea red crabs, spider crabs, and the newly discovered Yeti crab. Deep sea crab adaptations include producing eggs with larger yolks so that the developing crabs have a food source. In shallower regions, crab larvae feed on plankton. Many deep sea crabs have lost their eyes since they live in the darkness, and instead rely on an enhanced sense of smell.
