Wednesday, 16 April 2014

Blue Crab / Callinectes sapidus

Blue Crab


The blue crab is so named because of its sapphire-tinted claws. Its shell, or carapace, is actually a mottled brownish colour, and mature females have red highlights on the tips of their pincers.

The blue crab is an Invertebrate and eats both meat and plants (Omnivore)
Their average life span is 1 to 3 years, in a group they are named a cast.
Female blue crabs mate only once in their lives.

Size relative to a tea cup:
Illustration: Blue crab compared with tea cup

 Blue crabs also play a key role in managing the populations of the animals they prey on, and constant over-harvesting has had wide-ranging negative effects on the ecosystems they inhabit. For this reason, comprehensive management schemes are in place in several parts of the blue crab's range.





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