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Crabs become adults and reach maturity in 12 to 18 months.
(Between one and one-and-a half years old)
How big does the Blue Crab get?
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The largest crab recorded from Maryland was a male measuring 9 inches.However, bigger crabs (10 -11 inches) have been captured according to DNR crab surveys.
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How long do they live?
A female may live 2 years, a male 3.
Few crabs live longer than 3 years.
How old are you now? Do you remember when you were 3 years old?
Do Blue Crabs swim?
Most crabs "walk" or run across the ocean
bottom. But the blue crab found in the Chesapeake Bay is a member of
the family of "swimming crabs."
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Their rear-most pair of
legs is modified for swimming.
These legs are paddle-shaped.
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The Blue crab is a member of the swimming crab family, Portunidae.
The Latin name for the Blue Crab is "Callinectes sapidus".
"Callinectes sapidus" means "beautiful swimmer that is savory".
"Savory" means it tastes good.
So the Maryland Blue Crab is ...
...beautiful when it swims and tastes good when you eat it!
How do crabs grow when their shell is so hard?
Crabs grow by molting or shedding their shell.
Click here for More About
Molting!
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