![]() Megalopae eventually metamorphose into immature crabs, which look like tiny adults. Megalopae are pushed back into the estuary by wind and tidal currents, settling in key nursery habitats such as seagrass beds and marsh fringes. During their last larval molt, zoea metamorphose into a post-larval form called the megalopa. After four to eight weeks of development in the coastal ocean, the zoea return to the brackish waters of the Bay. ![]() After about two weeks, larvae are released near the mouth of the Bay.Ĭurrents transport the blue crab larvae, called zoea, out into the coastal waters, where they molt several times as they grow. The egg mass darkens as the developing larvae consume the orange yolk. Each bright orange egg mass may contain between 750,000 and two million eggs. Males eventually leave to search for another mate, while females migrate to the saltier waters of the lower Bay.Īs they migrate toward the mouth of the Bay, females develop an external egg mass, or sponge, beneath their aprons. After mating, the male continues to cradle the female until her shell hardens. Prior to mating, males will cradle a soft-shelled female in their legs, carrying her for several days while he searches for a protected area for her final molt. Reproduction and Life Cycleīlue crabs mate from May through October in the brackish waters of the Chesapeake Bay. Predatory birds, such as blue herons, and sea turtles are also known to feed on smaller crabs. Predatorsīlue crab predators include large fish like striped bass, Atlantic croaker and red drum. They will even eat more vulnerable soft-shelled blue crabs and small juveniles. ![]() Feedingīlue crabs will feed on nearly anything they can find, including clams, oysters, mussels, smaller crustaceans, freshly dead fish, and plant and animal detritus. Mature females have a broad, rounded apron, and immature females have a triangular apron. Males have a strongly tapered abdomen, or "apron," that resembles an inverted T. Its claws are bright blue, and those of mature females feature red tips.īlue crabs have three pairs of walking legs and paddle-shaped rear swimming legs. The carapace has nine marginal teeth on each side the ninth teeth are strong spines. The blue crab's carapace (shell) varies in color from bluish to olive green, and can reach up to 9 inches across.
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