Blue crab populations naturally fluctuate, mainly in response to temperature and weather conditions. Overfishing of blue crabs significantly affects populations of fish that depend on their larvae for food and has other negative effects on the aquatic ecosystem. If the crab is flipped over, the shape of the folded surface of the belly (the apron) reveals the animal's approximate age and sex. For this reason, comprehensive management schemes are in place in several parts of the blue crab's range. and 4 inches from head to tail. (Photo by Alicia Pimental/Chesapeake Bay Program), Bottom-dwelling crustacean that uses all of the Chesapeake Bay's habitats during the course of its life. As she nears the molt, a male defends her against threats and other males. Privacy Policy, Chesapeake Bay Program Description. population is found in the Chesapeake Bay. blue claws. It is now relatively common along European and Japanese coasts. Louisiana alone lands approximately 26 percent of the total blue crabs for the nation, a value of more than $135 million at today’s market prices. Its shell, or carapace, is actually a mottled brownish color, and mature females have red highlights on the tips of their pincers. The male continues to guard her until her shell hardens. The survey operates during the winter, when blue crabs burrow into the mud and remain dormant until water temperatures rise. The male blue crab apron resembles the Washington Monument. The visitors hauled up their own crab pots, sorted oysters on the water and experienced life in the Smith Island communities of Tylerton, Ewell and Rhodes Point. Blue crabs are native to the western Atlantic coast, ranging from Nova Scotia to Argentina. ), The Secret Science of Solving Crossword Puzzles, Racist Phrases to Remove From Your Mental Lexicon. Crabs are widely eaten by humans, making up 20 percent of all marine crustaceans that are farmed or caught around the world. Males can be seven to eight inches (18 to 20 centimeters) across, while females are a bit smaller in size. Females have red-tipped claws. The color comes mainly from the blue pigment alpha-crustacyanin and the red pigment astaxanthin. Blue crabs have three pairs of walking legs and paddle-shaped rear swimming legs. Crabs traveling in ship ballast water have led to the species' introduction to the Black, North, Mediterranean, and Baltic Seas. Once she molts, the pair mates. The blue crab's scientific name, Callinectes sapidus, means "beautiful savory swimmer.". A blue crab's typical lifespan is between three and four years. the blue swimmer crab is also a dinner table favourite. Blue crabs, like all crustaceans, grow by molting, or shedding their shell. Male aprons are t-shaped or resemble the Washington Monument. Females have red-tipped claws. Mating occurs in brackish water during warm months between May and October. Feed on clams, oysters, mussels, smaller crustaceans, freshly dead fish, and plant and animal detritus. Anywhere, any time. and dip nets. The blue crab is a swimming crustacean with bright blue claws and an olive green shell. Blue crabs mate from May through October in the brackish waters of the middle Chesapeake Bay. The blue crab is so named because of its sapphire-tinted claws. take on any opponent by raising claws toward their enemies while scuttling sideways While blue crabs do have sapphire blue claws, their bodies are usually duller in color. However, very few actually live that long. They will even eat smaller and soft-shelled blue crabs. Increased carbon pollution is expected to cause blue crabs to grow abnormally large shells, turning this species into larger, more aggressive predators that could significantly alter the fragile Chesapeake ecosystem. They are also excellent swimmers, with specially adapted hind appendages shaped like paddles. Males spend more time in the fresher waters of the Bay and its rivers, while females congregate in saltier waters. During their larval stages, they live offshore in high-salinity water and move into marshes, seagrass beds, and estuaries as they mature. Blue crabs typically live for 2 to 3 years. Although climate change is expected to lead to abnormally large blue crab shells, this does not mean the crab harvest will do well or that crab lovers will benefit. Each brood may contain 2 million eggs. The scientific names for king crab species are Paralithodes camtshaticus for the red king crab, Paralithodes platypus for the blue king crab, Lithodes aequispinus for the golden king crab and Lithoes couesi for the scarlet king crab, according to the Sea Choice website. Like other decapods, blue crabs have 10 legs. Facts about Blue Crabs 1: the importance of blue crab in United States. Females have red-tipped claws. Immature female aprons are triangular in shape. The lifespan of a crab varies according to species. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Chesapeake Bay Office, the bay shoreline is being affected at a faster rate than the global average because land in the region is already naturally subsiding. Search, discover, and learn about wildlife. Save The Bay, 1998. Most states have high daily limits, and if you know where to go and how to catch them, you can easily harvest enough blue crabs to have an epic boil for you and your fellow seafood lovers.. Molting begins when a thin line appears down their backs. Its shell, or carapace, is actually a mottled brownish color, and mature females have red highlights on the tips of their pincers. and foraging habitats. Each bright orange egg mass may contain between 750,000 and two million eggs. Spawning occurs twice a year in some areas and year-round in others. Unlike finfish, this invertebrate has a hard exoskeleton and must molt, or shed, its shell in order to grow.As you can imagine, this process puts the crab in a vulnerable situation as it loses its protective hard shell and becomes a soft crab—a top menu item on many predators’ lists, including ours. A blue crab's typical lifespan is between three and four years. This is because studies have shown that the same conditions that lead to increased growth in crab shells also resulted in the production of less meat under those shells. These receptacles store the male's sperm so that it … Distribution varies based on age, sex and season. (Photo by Will Parson/Chesapeake Bay Program), Female blue crabs develop an external egg mass, or sponge, beneath their apron after mating.

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