During the next month, larvae go through six or more stages before reaching the megalopal stage. Sponge crabs usually first appear in early April and are common until August or September.Įggs hatch into larvae after about two weeks. The egg mass is bright orange at first and becomes darker as the embryos mature andįemales carrying an egg mass are called sponge crabs, and are protected by law in South Carolina. Water about one or two months after mating in spring or summer.įemales that mate in fall or winter usually spawn the following spring, producing up to two million eggs, but only one per million willĮggs are carried under the abdomen until they hatch. Mated females migrate to higher salinity water in the lower reaches of the estuary or in the ocean. He will continue to carry her until her shell hardens. The male, usually one to two inches larger than its mate, protects the soft female when she is vulnerable to predators. Two to three days prior to mating, the male cradle carries the soon-to-shed female after a rather elaborate courtship ritual. Mating generally occurs in brackish water from February to November with peaks in March to July, and in October and November. Mating and Spawningįemales mate only during the final molt when they are in the soft shell condition, but males are believed to mate several times. The soft shell crabs are then removed from the water and refrigerated for sale and are generally in high demandįor their delicious meat. To attract females ready to mate, fishermen use "peeler pots," containing one or two large males. In early April a "run" of peeler crabs usually lasts for about two weeks. Vulnerable soft shell crab can swim and walk but prefers seclusion.Īfter a few hours, the crab's shell becomes parchment-like and is fully hardened within two or three days. The resulting soft crab, limp and wrinkled, swells to normal shape and usually increases in size by 25 to 35%. Molting lasts for only a few minutes as the crab pushes out the rear of the old shell. The smallest crabs shed every three to five days, juvenile crabs every 10 to 14 days and those three inches and larger every 20 to 50 days.įive to ten days before molting, a narrow white line appears just within the thin margin of the last two joints of the swimming legs.Ī few days before shedding, these "peeler" crab's narrow white lines give way to a red line, and fine white wrinkles appear on theīlue skin between the wrist and upper arm. Growth and Moltingīlue crabs, like all other arthropods, must periodically shed their hard exoskeletons in order to grow. The large, powerful claws are used for food gathering, defense, digging and sexual displays. Revolutions per minute, but they quickly disappear into a blur as the animal darts away. Three pairs of thin walking legs propel blue crabs sideways,Īs they clear a path with their sharp lateral spines.īlue crabs swim by sculling the oar-like fifth pair of legs, the swimming legs. The mature female's abdomen becomes rounded and can be easily pulled away from the body after the final molt.īlue crabs have five pairs of legs and can walk as well as swim. Immature female has a triangle shaped abdomen tightly sealed against the body. Males have a T-shaped abdomen held tightly against the underside of the body until maturity when it becomes somewhat free. Males, larger than females, reach seven or eight inches, (sometimes up to ten inches) across the shell from point to point. The mature females, or "sooks," have bright Large males, called Jimmies by fishermen, have brilliant blue claws and legs. The blue crab's scientific name, Callinectes sapidus, translates to "savory beautiful swimmer." Recreational importance in South Carolina. Massachusetts to Texas, and occasionally north to Nova Scotia and south to Uruguay.Ĭhesapeake Bay, North Carolina, and Louisiana support the largest blue crab fisheries.Īlthough other small swimming crabs in this family ( Portunidae) occur locally, only the blue crab has any commercial or Recreational fishermen seek this easy to catchĬrab, which also supports a considerable commercial fishery.īlue crabs require both inshore brackish waters and high salinity ocean waters to complete their life cycle. Gourmets prefer the blue crab's sweet meat over all other locally caught seafood. Saltwater Fishing Conservation and Ethicsĭespite its fearsome appearance and aggressive nature, the blue crab is greatly cherished in the South Carolina Lowcountry.
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