Chinese mitten crab

High school (ages 12+)
Animals & Nature

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/chinese-mitten-crab

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the scientific name?Eriocheir sinensis
2. What is the diet?Omnivore; opportunistic feeder consuming invertebrates, aquatic plants, algae, and detritus
3. Why does the crab have fuzzy mittens on its claws?The velvety hair on its claws lets it sense chemicals, touch, and even filter tiny food particles from the water.
4. Where does the crab live in the wild?It lives in rivers, estuaries, and even the sea along East Asia, from Korea to China’s Fujian province. It can live in fresh, brackish, or salty water.

Fossorial: Adapted for digging and living underground or in burrows.
Amphidromous: Fish or aquatic animals that migrate between freshwater and saltwater but not for breeding purposes.
Benthic: Relating to or occurring at the bottom of a body of water.
Chemoreception: The physiological response to chemical stimuli, enabling an organism to detect chemicals in its environment.