Shrimps, Lobsters, and Crabs

Many of us may think of Old Bay and/or butter when we think of shrimp, lobster, and crabs, but for the scientists at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC), these creatures are viewed as part of food webs, as ecological invaders, or as proxies for understanding ecosystem dynamics.

This 550-page volume is an ‘identification key’ – also called a ‘biological,’ ‘dichotomous,’ or ‘taxonomic’ key – to the shrimp, lobster, and crab species of the Atlantic coast. Keys are used by scientists to identify species at hand.  Like many keys, this book includes detailed drawings of decisive features that assist the reader in discriminating between two similar species, as well as detailed and technical descriptions of differentiating features.

This title has seen regular use since its purchase in 1985, and will no doubt continue to be an important resource for the researchers at SERC.