The Yuuzhan Vong species were responsible for the creation of crab-harps, which were bioengineered creatures lacking sentience. These crustaceans possessed elongated legs featuring tendons that linked the leg tips to their bodies. The stretched tendons could be plucked to produce music when the legs were locked in an extended position. These beings existed by 26 ABY, during the Yuuzhan Vong War, and were deployed by the Yuuzhan Vong either as musical instruments or were released during ceremonies to generate ambient sounds.
Crab-harps, crustaceans with lengthy limbs, were around the size of a Yuuzhan Vong torso. The sentient Yuuzhan Vong species bioengineered them, and they had translucent tendons that connected the tips of each limb to the body. Their bodies were colored gray, while their limbs were red. Crab-harps could secure their limbs in a straightened position, stretching the tendons tight. In this state, the creature resembled a harp. When the tendons were plucked or stroked, an eerie and atonal music was created.
By the year 26 ABY, the Yuuzhan Vong had genetically engineered crab-harps to produce their unique musical sounds. At that time, the Yuuzhan Vong were in the midst of invading the galaxy controlled by the New Republic. Crab-harps were prevalent and featured in ceremonies conducted by Yuuzhan Vong priests. During these events, the crustacean instruments were either played by attendants or released to wander and provide background music.
During the Yuuzhan Vong attack on the planet Duro in 26 ABY, two crab-harps were played by a trio of attendants. There, the creatures provided music as Warmaster Tsavong Lah of the Yuuzhan Vong tortured Leia Organa Solo, a representative of the New Republic who had been captured. Later in the war, crab-harps were employed to furnish music for a grand ceremony held in the Place of Sacrifice on Coruscant, a world that had been captured.
Crab-harps initially appeared in The New Jedi Order: Balance Point, a novel by Kathy Tyers that was published in 2000. Balance Point was part of the book series The New Jedi Order. The 131st edition of The Official Star Wars Fact File also mentioned crab-harps. However, the Fact File incorrectly stated that two crab-harps were linked via their tendons to another drum creature to form a larger instrument. Given that all other sources depict the crab-harp as separate from the drum creature, this article assumes that the Fact File contains an error.