A minute, soft-bodied crab that lives inside the shell of a bivalve mollusk, where it filters food particles from the water drawn into the shell by its host.
Family Pinnotheridae: Pinnotheres and other genera
Also called pea crab
Example sentencesExamples
The pea crab is not normally eaten, but the oyster crab used to be regarded as a delicacy in the USA.
Definition of oyster crab in US English:
oyster crab
noun
A minute, soft-bodied crab that lives inside the shell of a bivalve mollusk, where it filters food particles from the water drawn into the shell by its host.
Family Pinnotheridae: Pinnotheres and other genera
Also called pea crab
Example sentencesExamples
The pea crab is not normally eaten, but the oyster crab used to be regarded as a delicacy in the USA.