Description
The blue crab is a fast-swimming crustacean this is supported by way of a couple of paddle-shaped rear swimming legs. Its shell (carapace) is easy and olive-green in colour. The bright blue claws in mature ladies characteristic crimson pointers. Grownup men can succeed in as much as 9 inches in diameter and feature a lifespan of as much as 3 years.
Men (Jimmies) characteristic slender, inverted T-shaped stomach, whilst mature ladies (sooks) have a large, rounded stomach.
Blue crabs develop ceaselessly and molt a number of occasions all over their lifestyles span. A soft-shelled crab that has simply molted and has a nearly clear frame.
Habitat
Blue crabs reside within the sea, rivers, and brackish waters alongside the coastal shelf and estuaries. They’re omnivores and feed on just about anything else they may be able to to find, plant and animal detritus and clams, oysters, mussels, smaller crustaceans, freshly useless fish, and so on.
Existence Cycle
Blue crabs show off distinctive reproductive habits. They mate from Would possibly via October within the brackish waters. Earlier than mating, men cradle a soft-shelled feminine of their legs, sporting her for a number of days ready she molts. After mating, the male continues to cradle the feminine till her shell hardens.
Women folk broaden an exterior egg mass (bright-orange sponge) underneath their stomach. In about two weeks, larvae are launched into the waters. Larvae transported to sea waters however go back again to estuaries and rivers to transform full-size grownup crab. Their lifespan is ready 3 years.