Text says, The Blue Crab
small illustration of the zoea 1 phase of the Blue Crab life cycle small illustration of the zoea 2 phase of the Blue Crab life cycle
What do new-born crabs look like?

The newly-hatched larvae are called zoea and look nothing like an adult crab.

These young crabs are microscopic in size and drift about in the water currents.

After approximately 6 or 7 molts, the zoea changes into a post-larval form known as the megalops.

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It is believed that the majority of these tiny larvae are transported into the ocean by an interaction of seasonal winds and bottom water circulation patterns.

Eventually these same winds and water return the zoea to the Chesapeake Bay, where they settle on seagrass beds in the spawning area.