Blue crab is highly demanded after shellfish. Blue crabs are a favorite food for coastal communities. Besides eating this delicious dish, Blue crabs are the most important part economically and small but mighty in appearance. Blue crabs live on the Atlantic Coast and the Gulf of Mexico. Both commercial and recreational fishermen caught blue crabs.
The scientific name of blue crabs is “ Callinectes Sapidus, “ which means “Beautiful savory swimmers.”
Blue crabs are a valuable fishery in the “Chesapeake Bay.” Blue crabs are very precious in the region where blue crabs are known as Maryland crustaceans.
Introduction:
Among many species of crabs, blue crabs are different because of their bright blue-colored legs. They are extensively found from the Atlantic coast to Nova scotia.
Blue crabs are considered good swimmers and swim through the water with the help of the fifth pair of paddle-like legs. These paddle-like legs help them to swim more quickly and easily.
Like other crabs, blue crabs have claws, bright red for female blue crabs. Female blue crabs are slightly smaller than male blue crabs. A large male may be up to seven inches in size.
Lifespan:
Blue crabs have a life duration of about three to four years. During this duration, they mate mostly from May to October, and females produce a lot of new crabs. All crabs cannot survive from infancy to the larval stage because of predators and other environmental factors. But thousands remain alive to repeat the reproduction cycle.
Blue crab Mating:
Blue crabs mate in low moderate salinity water, occurring once in a lifetime for female crabs. Mating takes place when the female is soft. Sperms are transferred into the female’s body which fertilizes her eggs. After mating, the male crab protects the female until the shell hardens.
Spawning takes place during spring and summer on nearshore seawater. When the eggs are extracted, they are fertilized and fixed to the pleopods in the female’s abdomen. The female transfers eggs under the abdomen until they are hatched.
Female moves toward the seawater. Hatching occurs in the nearshore area where larvae develop into zoea, transfer into megalopa, and start a new cycle.
Young crabs move towards low salinity water and grow rapidly. They attain their full size in one to two years.
Habitat:
Blue crabs live in estuarine habitats throughout their life cycle. In the larval stage, they live in the oceans.
Young crabs live in shallow intertidal habitats and on the south Carolina coast.
While the mature crabs preferred deeper water to live in.
Diet:
Blue crabs eat everything easily available. Crabs mostly eat calms, small crustaceans, the residue of plants and animals, insects, mussels, dead fish, and worms. They can also feed on dead animals.
In addition, they play a vital role in decreasing other harmful species. Blue crabs need a varied diet to keep balance in their environment.
Can blue crabs swim?
Blue crabs are known as natural swimmers. They are unique in appearance. They have paddle-like legs, which help them to swim through water. These paddle-like legs help them to swim quickly.
When they are not swimming, they use their eyes, gills, and antennas to bury themselves in the sand for safety.
Blue crabs can scull motion, and they can push them in water. They can cover a 1-meter distance per second.
Are blue crabs able to stay out of water for a long time?
Blue crabs breathe through their gills. They can stay out of water for almost 24 hours if they can keep their gills moist. Commonly live in dark and cool places where they remain safe from predators. They save water in their special pockets and bladder and survive without water.
Largest blue crab ever caught:
In 1998 “ juice McKinny “ saw a big blue crab in the Potomac river. Jacques van montfrans told about the biggest blue crab, Chesapeake, that they have caught on the Virginia side of the Potomac. This crab weighs about 1.1 pounds and has a 10.72 big shell. Juvenile molts twenty times before attaining maturity.
Besides his impressive width, the crab posed a little threat to McKinny’s finger. There is a reason behind that it has small claws, and Crabs can regrow their lost limbs.
How to cook blue crab?
Blue crabs are easy to cook and prepare in only a few minutes. You can prepare them differently, like steaming, boiling, and baking.
To boil crabs,
- Fill a pan with water and put it on the flame until it is boiling.
- Add one teaspoon of salt and another Bay seasoning flavor.
- Add crabs separately in water for eight to ten minutes.
- After cooling, put crabs on your plates and enjoy this delicious dish.
Steamed blue crab:
This is the best way to prepare crabs and make them tastier. For this purpose, you need to,
- Take a streamer and put it in boiled water. But remember that crabs must not be touched with water.
- Add a teaspoon of salt and seasoning flavor to the pot.
- Layer the crab in the streamer and sprinkle the flavors on it
- Cover the pot and steam for 30 minutes.
- When crabs appear in bright orange, they are cooked and ready to eat.
How to eat blue crab?
Eating crab in the right way can improve your seafood dining experience.
Read all these methods to learn techniques about picking and removing shells easily.
- Separate the claws and legs by twisting them at the base.
- Use a knife to peel back the apron
- Separate the top shell from the bottom
- Pull out the gills by peeling
- Use a cracker to open the claws, reach the meat, and enjoy it
Conclusion:
Blue crabs are amazing creatures, easy to cook, and delicious. Humans highly demand them for their savory meat, so they have become an important part of the Gulf’s population. They grow rapidly within 12 to 18 months. Blue crabs are very sharp to defend themselves and are known as good swimmers.
Crabs are considered the main decomposers because they clean the oceanic bottom by eating dead animals and plants. Blue crabs are unique in their species.
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