Blue Crabs :: essays research papers

The scientific name given to the coloured grouse was derived from Latin and GreekCalli, beautiful nectes, swimmer and sapidus, savory. Thus, a unfeignedtransition might be the beautiful savory swimmer.     The savory crab is an important and interesting species. The wild blue yonderweed crab isa species whose life recital involves a complex cycle of planktonic, nektonic,and benthic stages which occur throughout the nautical environment in avariety of habitats. The blue crab is oneness of the more abundant estuarineinvertebrates and supports important commercial and recreational fisheries on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. The blue crab plays an important role inthe marine food web, providing prey for many species and a predator on otherspecies. The blue crab is a highly prized commodity to consumers.            cardinal species of Callinectes have been documented in the Gulf ofMexico C. bocourti, C. danae, C. ornatus , C. exasperatus, C. marginatus, C.similis and C. rathbunae, and Callinectes sapidus.      The true range of the blue crab is from Nova Scotia and throughoutthe Gulf of Mexico to northern Argentina. The blue crab is rarely undercoat northof Cape Cod, but has been preserve in Maine and Nova Scotia. The blue crabhas been introduced into Europe, North Africa, and Southwest Asia.Introductions into the Mediterranean ocean and surrounding waters haveproduced breeding populations whereas others were probably temporaryoccurrences. The blue crab also has been introduced into Japan.     Blue crabs are one of the around common marine invertebrates and aregenerally abundant throughout the oceans. head abundance of adult crabsoccurs during the warmer months. During winter, crabs are found in areas oftidal exchange in the mooer estuary. Juvenile blue crabs are most abundant inwaters of low to intermediate salinity during the winter months.  &n bsp  Males become sexually mature at the 18 or 19th molt but may bear uponto grow and molt an additional 3-4 times thereafter. Female crabs were ab initio thought to rarely, if ever, molt again following their mature molt.However, mature females undergoing a second molt have been verified.