Have you ever seen or heard about a blue crab? These tiny crustaceans can easily attract one's eye because of their color. Blue crabs are also a favorite among those who are from coastal areas.
A quick fun fact about blue crabs is that they have a short life span of 3 years. These crabs also are nine inches in size. If you enjoyed these facts, you'd undoubtedly want to learn more incredible facts about blue crabs in this article. Make sure to continue reading!
Blue Crabs Have an Expansive Natural Habitat
Hailing from the Gulf of Mexico to Nova Scotia, they can be easily found nearly everywhere. However, their natural habitat is expanding beyond the southern coasts of Argentina and Uruguay.
Their populations have been even seen further in the Mediterranean since the 1940s, although the kinds of blue crabs were once invasive species. There have been reported sightings in places such as Turkey, Italy, Greece, and Israel.
You will also find them in the waters off Maryland and Virginia, as their habitat thrives in brackish water and salt marshes. Out of these places, blue crabs are most celebrated in the Chesapeake Bay. And of course, you can also find them at various Crawfish Cafes. Thanks to their rich habitat and biodiversity, coastal communities worldwide have discovered the delightfulness of blue crabs and made an income out of them.
Blue Crabs Differ in Looks
Another amazing fact about blue crabs is that male and female blue crabs look different from each other. While both sexes have similarities in physical aspects, such as their sapphire-tinted claws, one distinguishable feature of female blue crabs is the red highlights on their pincers.
To determine the sex of a blue crab, all you will have to do is check the folded surface of the belly. You may see either of these shapes: 1) T shape on the abdomen, which means the crab is a male, 2) a triangular shape to indicate a young female, and 3) round shapes for older females.
Females Mate Only Once
These crustaceans' mating season spans from May to October. When a female blue crab reaches sexual maturity, they only mate once. In contrast, males can mate multiple times.
After the mating, a female blue crab forms an egg mass on the folded surface of her belly, which can carry as many as 2 million eggs. These eggs are then released into the water, wherein they will molt 25 times to begin their growth in a few weeks.
Blue Crabs Are Big Eaters
Despite their slight build, blue crabs are not picky and instead are big eaters. They mainly eat dead fish, mussels, clams, snails, and more. In some circumstances, these crustaceans may even eat smaller blue crabs!
Blue Crabs Are Delightful Treats
Blue crabs are loaded with tasteful flavors. Even their scientific name, Callinectes sapidus, means "savory beautiful swimmer." They could even match the taste level with Houston's best crab legs for their tender meat and unique sweetness.
Conclusion
Which of these facts have you found as most interesting? Overall, the blue crab's unique appearance and expansive habitat made them one of the special kinds of seafood you can find all over the world.
If you love crab and all sorts of tasty seafood, then visit us at Crawfish Cafe, the best crawfish restaurant in Houston. We serve Viet-Cajun crawfish and seafood, including gulf blue crabs, black mussels, king crab legs, Dungeness crab, lobster, and shrimp. Order online or visit our restaurant today!