crabeater

See also: crab-eater

English

Rachycentron canadum

Ixobrychus minutus

crabeater seal (Lobodon carcinophagus)

Etymology

crab +‎ eater

Noun

crabeater (plural crabeaters)

1. A cobia or sergeant fish (Rachycentron canadum).
2. A little bittern; a bird of species Ixobrychus minutus.
3. An Antarctic seal (Lobodon carcinophagus) that feeds on krill.
   • 2002, Maurice Burton, Robert Burton, International Wildlife Encyclopedia: Chickaree - crabs, →ISBN, page 564:

     Although crabeaters often gather on the ice in large numbers, pupping takes place in small groups.

   • 2002, David G. Campbell, The Crystal Desert: Summers in Antarctica, →ISBN:

     Although few observations have been made of feeding crabeaters, it is assumed that they take bites from a swarm of krill, extracting one or two. Crabeaters sometimes feed collectively, which may increase the efficiency of their hunt.

   • 2013, Roger Kirkwood, Simon Goldsworthy, Fur Seals and Sea Lions, →ISBN, page 45:

     Also distinguishing them is that crabeaters often have moderate scaring around the head and chest from fights with conspecifics and deep scaring along the body resulting from close encounters with leopard seals.

Derived terms

• crabeater seal (Lobodon carcinophagus)