Description
The blue crab is a fast-swimming crustacean that’s supported by a pair of paddle-shaped rear swimming legs. Its shell (carapace) is clean and olive-green in shade. The sensible blue claws in mature females characteristic purple ideas. Grownup males can attain as much as 9 inches in diameter and have a lifespan of as much as 3 years.
Males (Jimmies) characteristic slim, inverted T-shaped stomach, whereas mature females (sooks) have a broad, rounded stomach.
Blue crabs develop constantly and molt a number of instances throughout their life span. A soft-shelled crab that has simply molted and has an virtually clear physique.
Habitat
Blue crabs dwell within the sea, rivers, and brackish waters alongside the coastal shelf and estuaries. They’re omnivores and feed on practically something they’ll discover, plant and animal detritus and clams, oysters, mussels, smaller crustaceans, freshly useless fish, and so on.
Life Cycle
Blue crabs exhibit distinctive reproductive conduct. They mate from Might by way of October within the brackish waters. Earlier than mating, males cradle a soft-shelled feminine of their legs, carrying her for a number of days ready she molts. After mating, the male continues to cradle the feminine till her shell hardens.
Females develop an exterior egg mass (bright-orange sponge) beneath their stomach. In about two weeks, larvae are launched into the waters. Larvae transported to sea waters however return again to estuaries and rivers to grow to be full-size grownup crab. Their lifespan is about 3 years.