Shelfish

"Shellfish" covers three completely unrelated phyla of sea life.

Mollusks

are related (distantly) to the common garden snail. In the sea they are larger, more diverse, faster and smarter, from almost invisibly tiny limpets to colossal squid 46 feet long.

Crustaceans

are related to the common garden sow bug. In the sea they are also more diverse and larger with crabs and lobsters that weigh over 20 pounds.

Echinoderms

include the starfish, sea urchin and sea cucumber.

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Mollusks

These three Orders are related only at the Phylum level. Each order includes Suborders, Families, and Genera.

Bivalves - Clams, Oysters, Mussels & Scallops
Cephalopods
- Octopus
- Squid
- Cuttlefish
Snails - Gastropods on Land and Sea

Crustaceans

These critters all belong to Class Malacostraca and are descended from a common ancester, but they started diverging into separate Subclasses and Superorders about 410 million years ago.

Echinoderms

- Sea cucumbers, Sea Urchins (Uni), Starfish.

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