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Species
Callinectes sapidus Rathbun, 1896
IUCN
NCBI
EOL Text
The Blue Crab (Callinectes sapidus) is especially common in estuaries, where it ranges into fresh water, but may be found offshore to at least 36 meters (Gosner 1978). Females remain in higher salinity portions of an estuary system, especially for egg laying (Lippson and Lippson 1997). Blue Crabs migrate to deeper water in winter (Gosner 1978).
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Rights holder/Author | Shapiro, Leo, Shapiro, Leo, EOL Rapid Response Team |
Source | http://eolspecies.lifedesks.org/pages/18927 |
The Blue Crab (Callinectes sapidus) is found from Cape Cod to Uruguay, sometimes north at least to Massachusetts Bay (Gosner 1978). Blue Crabs have also been introduced accidentally or intentionally in Hawaii, Europe, Japan, and Africa.
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Rights holder/Author | Shapiro, Leo, Shapiro, Leo, EOL Rapid Response Team |
Source | http://eolspecies.lifedesks.org/pages/18927 |
The Blue Crab (Callinectes sapidus) is found from Cape Cod to Uruguay, occurring especially in estuaries. It is a beautifully colored crustacean with bright blue claws--the mature female's claws are tipped in red--and an olive to bluish green carapace. The Blue Crab is a commercially important species and is popular with recreational crabbers as well. (Gosner 1978; Lippson and Lippson 1997). The Greek and Latin roots of its scientific name translate to "savory beautiful swimmer".
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Rights holder/Author | Shapiro, Leo, Shapiro, Leo, EOL Rapid Response Team |
Source | http://eolspecies.lifedesks.org/pages/18927 |
Although the natural range of Callinectes sapidus spreads from the western Atlantic Ocean from Nova Scotia to Argentina, it was introduced, accidentally or deliberately, into both Asia and Europe. It has also been introduced into Hawaii and Japan. Callinectes sapidus is mostly found from Cape Cod (Massachussets) to Uruguay, but is also found north to at least Massachusetts Bay.
Biogeographic Regions: nearctic (Native ); palearctic (Introduced ); ethiopian (Introduced ); neotropical (Native )
- Hill, K. 2004. "Species name: Callinectes sapidus (blue crab)" (On-line). Smithsonian Marine Station at Fort Pierce. Accessed June 22, 2011 at http://www.sms.si.edu/irlspec/callin_sapidu.htm.
- Shapiro, L. 2011. "Callinectes sapidus M. J. Rathbun, 189" (On-line). EOL species rapid response. Accessed June 22, 2011 at http://eolspecies.lifedesks.org/pages/18927.
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | ©1995-2013, The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors |
Source | http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Callinectes_sapidus/ |
Barnacles often attach themselves to Blue Crabs, especially in southern regions. The Striped Barnacle (Balanus amphitrite) and Turtle Barnacle (Chelonibia testudinaria) are found externally; a small goose barnacle, Octolasmus lowei, occurs in the Blue Crab's gill chamber, and the bean-shaped sacculinid barnacle Loxothylacus texanus attaches itself under the abdomen. A parasitic nemertean worm, Carcinonemertes carcinophila, is found on the gills of female crabs; on virgin crabs, it is pinkish, while on breeders it is red. (Gosner 1978)
Feeding experiments carried out by Harding (2003) suggest that the Blue Crab may be an effective predator of the Rapa Whelk (Rapana venosa), a large predatory gastropod from Asia that was discovered in Chesapeake Bay in 1998. Although mature Rapa Whelks are probably too large and well protected to be attacked by Blue Crabs, available data suggest that predation by Blue Crabs on juvenile Rapa Whelks might control whelk populations in Chesapeake Bay and other estuarine habitats along the North American Atlantic coast.
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | Shapiro, Leo, Shapiro, Leo, EOL Rapid Response Team |
Source | http://eolspecies.lifedesks.org/pages/18927 |
There are no known adverse effects of Callinectes sapidus on humans.
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | ©1995-2013, The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors |
Source | http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Callinectes_sapidus/ |
United States
Origin: Native
Regularity: Regularly occurring
Currently: Present
Confidence: Confident
Type of Residency: Year-round
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Rights holder/Author | NatureServe |
Source | http://explorer.natureserve.org/servlet/NatureServe?searchName=Callinectes+sapidus |
Callinectes sapidus (Blue crabs) is prey of:
Sciaenops ocellatus
Actinopterygii
Aves
Other suspension feeders
Mya arenaria
Crassostrea virginica
Polychaeta
Nereis
Crustacea
Callinectes sapidus
Larus argentatus
Larus delawarensis
Larus atricilla
Sterna forsteri
sediment POC
Based on studies in:
USA: Florida (Estuarine)
USA: Florida, Everglades (Estuarine)
USA: Maryland, Chesapeake Bay (Estuarine)
This list may not be complete but is based on published studies.
- W. M. Kemp, W. H. B. Smith, H. N. McKellar, M. E. Lehman, M. Homer, D. L. Young and H. T. Odum, Energy cost-benefit analysis applied to power plants near Crystal River, Florida. In: Ecosystem Modeling in Theory and Practice: An Introduction with Case His
- W. E. Odum and E. J. Heald, The detritus-based food web of an estuarine mangrove community, In Estuarine Research, Vol. 1, Chemistry, Biology and the Estuarine System, Academic Press, New York, pp. 265-286, from p. 281 (1975).
- Christian RR, Luczkovich JJ (1999) Organizing and understanding a winters seagrass foodweb network through effective trophic levels. Ecol Model 117:99124
- Baird D, Ulanowicz RE (1989) The seasonal dynamics of the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem. Ecol Monogr 59:329364
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Rights holder/Author | Cynthia Sims Parr, Joel Sachs, SPIRE |
Source | http://spire.umbc.edu/fwc/ |
The main positive economic importance of Callinectes sapidus for humans is for food. The blue crab is often eaten because the meat is tasty and can be prepared in a number of ways. Commercially, crabs are captured in traps that are rectangular, two feet wide, and are made of wire. The crabs are lured in by being baited with freshly dead fish. In some areas, crabs are also caught in trawls and by trotlines. Many people also crab since it is easy and inexpensive. Although there aren't any harvest limits, there is a 5-inch minimum body width as measured from spine to spine.
Positive Impacts: food
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | ©1995-2013, The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors |
Source | http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Callinectes_sapidus/ |
Callinectes sapidus is easily identified by its body color which is generally a bright blue along the frontal area, especially along the chelipeds (the appendages bearing a "chela" or pincher-like claw). The remainder of the body is shaded an olive brown color. To accommodate swimming, the fifth leg is adapted to a paddle-like shape, as is the same with other portunids. Females have broad triangular or rounded aprons and red fingers on the chelae, whereas in the male the abdominal flap, or apron, is shaped like an inverted "T". Callinectes sapidus can grow to 25 cm in carapace length (CL), with carapace width being approximately twice the length. Growth is rapid during the first summer, with crabs growing from 70-100 mm CL. By the second year, maturity is reached at carapace lengths of 120-170 mm. Callinectes sapidus grows to adult size after 18 to 20 molts.
Range length: 120 to 170 mm.
Other Physical Features: ectothermic ; heterothermic ; bilateral symmetry
Sexual Dimorphism: male larger; sexes colored or patterned differently; male more colorful
- Steele, P. 1979. "A synopsis of the biology of the blue crab Callinectes sapidus Rathbun in Florida" (On-line pdf). Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Accessed June 22, 2011 at http://research.myfwc.com/engine/download_redirection_process.asp?file=79steele_1436.pdf&objid=20754&dltype=publication.
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | ©1995-2013, The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors |
Source | http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Callinectes_sapidus/ |