Crab Megalops Life Stage

As with other members of the phylum Arthropoda, crab species in the class Crustacea must undergo metamorphosis as they grow and mature because of the their hard exoskeletons. For most species, except for a few freshwater varieties, newly hatched crabs bear little resemblance to their parents. From the egg to mature adult life stage, the crab must undergo several transformations before displaying typical adult characteristics.