Wildlife Species Library

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

Showing 1-36 of 56 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...

balmain bug
Crustaceans

balmain bug

Ibacus peronii

Hidden beneath the Australian sands, the Balmain bug is a marvel of marine evolution. With its butterfly-like shape a...

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...

Black Squat Lobster
Crustaceans

Black Squat Lobster

Galathea squamifera

A hidden gem of the rocky shoreline, the Black Squat Lobster is a master of camouflage and nocturnal survival. With i...

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 ...

Cape Rock Lobster
Crustaceans

Cape Rock Lobster

Jasus lalandii

The spiny sentinel of the Atlantic kelp forests, the Cape Rock Lobster is a master of the rocky reef. With its brilli...

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...

Common Squat Lobster
Crustaceans

Common Squat Lobster

Iridonida pusilla

A vibrant dweller of the Indo-Pacific depths, the Common Squat Lobster is a master of crevice living and agile underw...

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...

East Coast Rock Lobster
Crustaceans

East Coast Rock Lobster

Panulirus homarus

A master of the surf zone, the East Coast Rock Lobster is a vibrant, spiny inhabitant of Indo-Pacific rocky reefs. Wa...

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...

European Spiny Lobster
Crustaceans

European Spiny Lobster

Palinurus elephas

Often called the 'crayfish' of the sea, the European Spiny Lobster is a vibrant, clawless crustacean that rules the r...

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...

Flathead Lobster
Crustaceans

Flathead Lobster

Thenus orientalis

A bizarre and beautiful marvel of the Indo-Pacific, the Flathead Lobster uses its shovel-shaped face to vanish into t...

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...

longlegged spiny lobster
Crustaceans

longlegged spiny lobster

Panulirus longipes

A nocturnal wonder of the Indo-Pacific, the longlegged spiny lobster is easily identified by its spindly limbs and st...

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...

Mediterranean Slipper Lobster
Crustaceans

Mediterranean Slipper Lobster

Scyllarides latus

Meet the 'Gentle Giant' of the Mediterranean reefs. Lacking claws and covered in stone-like armor, this nocturnal mas...

Munida sarsi
Crustaceans

Munida sarsi

Munida sarsi

A vibrant orange scavenger of the North Atlantic depths, Sars' squat lobster is a master of the deep-sea floor. With ...

Natal Spiny Lobster
Crustaceans

Natal Spiny Lobster

Palinurus delagoae

A vibrant red gem of the deep, the Natal Spiny Lobster thrives in the dark, high-pressure world of the Western Indian...

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...

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