But wait, there’s more! Crabs also have tiny, hidden appendages that look like legs but aren't. I’m talking about the swimmerets. These are small, flap-like structures under the tail (yes, crabs have tails, they just tuck them under). They use these to fan water over their eggs if they’re female, or to… well, court mates.
And if you look really close, some crabs have maxillipeds, which are little leg-like mouthparts. They use them to tear food and shove it into their actual mouth. So, while a crab doesn’t have “10 legs” that look like the ones on your dinner plate, it definitely has way more than ten leg-ish things going on. Talk about an identity crisis.
The Spider Crab Exception (Because of Course)
Now, let’s throw a wrench in the works: hermit crabs and spider crabs. Some spider crabs have legs so long and spindly that they look like they have twenty. But count them—they still have that sacred ten. The difference is scale; the walking legs are just incredibly long and thin. They use them to carefully tap their way across the ocean floor like a grumpy grandpa with a cane.
Have you ever seen a Japanese Spider Crab? It can have a leg span of 12 feet. That’s longer than a small car. And yet, it’s still walking on just eight of those ten appendages. It’s like a living, walking scaffolding. Nature is a show-off.
How Many Legs Does a Crab Have?
