Instead, hermit crabs have a hard exoskeleton on the front part of their bodies but a soft tail on the other half, which they protect using the discarded shells of other animals, like whelks.

Brachiopods are marine animals with hard shells that have been studied extensively for their geochemical properties and microstructural features. Recent research has focused on understanding how ...

MUKILTEO — State biologists reassure community members that what appears to be dead crabs littering beaches near Mukilteo are mostly molted shells.