Classification Species armatus Genus Portunus Family Portunidae Infraorder Brachyura Order Decapoda Class Malacostraca Subphylum Crustacea Phylum Arthropoda Kingdom Animalia; Size … Their usual habitat is muddy shores, bays, and estuaries. Blue King Crab. Males and females are easily distinguished by the shape of the abdomen (known as the "apron") and by color differences in the cheli… Encyclopedia article covering the order, with details of anatomy, classification, and photos of sample species. Since there are so many different kinds of crabs, they have thousands of common names, such as king crab, horseshoe crab, blue crab, snow crab, coconut crab, and more. The shell, greenish on top and dingy white below, is about 7.5 cm (3 inches) long and 15 to 18 cm wide; the legs are bluish. The blue crab which is one of the most wanted types of crabs, lives in estuaries and salt lagoons along the coast that goes from Nova Scotia, to the Gulf of Mexico. Southeast. 1.-- Muraoka, 1998: 33. Blue Crabs of the South Atlantic Bight Native and Occasional species of Callinectes (or, when isn’t a blue crab a blue crab?) All rights reserved. Blue crab [English] Common blue crab [English] Blue crab, (genus Callinectes), any of a genus of crustaceans of the order Decapoda (phylum Arthropoda), particularly Callinectes sapidus and C. hastatus, common edible crabs of the western Atlantic coast that are prized as delicacies. However, habitat loss and nutrient loading are some of the larger issues faced by this species. Atlantic Blue Crab Trap/Pot Fishery - MMPA List of Fisheries. Blue king crabs from the Pribilof Islands are the largest of all the king crabs, sometimes exceeding 18 lb … The claws on the adult female blue crab are tipped with red. Fossil records are few for many species. Corrections? The fifth pair of legs is flattened for swimming. Species Callinectes sapidus blue crab Classification Classification. Callinectes sapidus is a decapod crustacean of the family Portunidae, which includes the swimming crabs. Yet, they all belong to the scientific order Decapoda, which comes from the Greek words “deka” meaning ten, and “pous” (poda), meaning feet. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant DRL-0628151.Copyright © 2002-2020, The Regents of the University of Michigan. The blue king crab, Paralithodes platypus, lives near St. Matthew Island, the Pribilof Islands, and the Diomede Islands, Alaska, and there are populations along the coasts of Japan and Russia. Species Callinectes sapidus blue crab. Status in World Register of Marine Species Accepted name: Callinectes sapidus Rathbun, 1896 Scientific synonyms and common names Callinectes sapidus Rathbun, 1896: 352.-- Sakai, 1976b: 29, pl. Their usual habitat is muddy shores, bays, and estuaries. shrimps, crabs, lobsters, water fleas, and relatives. It is easily identified by its body color which is generally a bright blue … This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/animal/blue-crab. A distinctive, large, sharp spine projects from each side. Eight short spines occur on each side between the large spine and the eyes. It is a partnership of the University of Michigan School of Education, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology, and the Detroit Public Schools. Callinectes sapidus is a decapod crab of the swimming crab family Portunidae. Mencken a “great big outdoor protein factory,” still affords a precarious living…. Their usual habitat is muddy shores, bays, and estuaries.… U.S. fisheries are classified under the Marine Mammal Protection Act according to the level of interactions that result in incidental mortality or serious injury of marine mammals. As it marches around feeding, it moulds the sand into numerous pellets, sorting through it for organic matter. The Blue Crab (Callinectes sapidus), or the Atlantic Blue Crab, is a species of crab native to the waters of the western Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, and introduced internationally. There is only one other species of soldier crab common in Sydney. Cardisoma guanhumi Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Subphylum: Crustacea Class: Malacostraca Order: Decapoda Infraorder: Brachyura Family: Gecarcinidae Genus: Cardisoma Species: C. guanhumi Binomial name Cardisoma guanhumi Latreille, 1828 Cardisoma guanhumi, also known as the blue land crab, is a species of land crab found in tropical and subtopical … Other important species include flower crabs (Portunus pelagicus), snow crabs (Chionoecetes), blue crabs (Callinectes sapidus), edible or brown crabs (Cancer pagurus), Dungeness crab (Metacarcinus magister), and mud crabs (Scylla serrata), each of which provides more than 20,000 tonnes annually. Level of scientific classification; below Kingdom and above Class Thin, tapered claw used for tearing Blue crab that is 3-6 days from molting Organisms that cannot swim or are very weak swimmers and are at the mercy of the currents Blue crab, (genus Callinectes), any of a genus of crustaceans of the order Decapoda (phylum Arthropoda), particularly Callinectes sapidus and C. hastatus, common edible crabs of the western Atlantic coast that are prized as delicacies. The horseshoe crab has left numerous fossil records but the swimming crab, such as the blue crab, has left far fewer. Updates? Conservation. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. There hundreds of different crabs on this planet so for the sake of simplicity, I am going with 2 kinds. Summary Summary. Basic Classification and Identification of Blue Crabs . Classification: Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthopoda Class: Malacostraca Order: Decapoda Family: Portunidae Genus: Portunus Species: Sapidus Common Name: Blue Crab Morphology: Blue Crabs are segmented and have bilaterally symmetry.They have a bluish color hard shell. Ray Bauer Research: Marine Biology and Shrimps Research projects by Bauer and students on caridean and penaeid shrimps and other decapod crustaceans, emphasizing mating systems, breeding, hermaphroditism, coloration, grooming, fouling, seagrass fauna, publications. Species Callinectes sapidus blue crab Callinectes sapidus: information (1) Callinectes sapidus: pictures (4) Species Cambarus bartonii Appalachian brook crayfish Like all crabs, sea crabs belong to the order of decapods, which mean they have five pairs of legs inserted into their abdomens.The first pair of legs evolved over time, becoming a pair of claws or pincers that these crustaceans use to capture, cut and manipulate their food and even to defend themselves, and to court their partners. Species Callinectes sapidus blue crab. Species Callinectes sapidus blue crab Callinectes sapidus: information (1) Callinectes sapidus: pictures (4) Species Cambarus bartonii Appalachian brook crayfish The genus Callinectes is distinguished from other portunid crabs by the lack of an internal spine on the carpus (the middle segment of the claw), as well as by the T-shape of the male abdomen. Other commercially important taxa include Portunus pelagicus, several species in the genus Chionoecetes, the blue crab (Callinectes sapidus), Charybdis spp., Cancer pagurus, the Dungeness crab (Metacarcinus magister), and Scylla serrata, each of which yields more than 20,000 tonnes annually. Classification. This is the smaller Mictyris platycheles. The crabs are scavengers, feeding on the bodies of dead animals. Classification Classification. Habitat The blue crab, Callinectes sapidus, was named by Dr. Rathbun. They are striking to spot with their often bright-blue claws and olive-colored carapace (shell). Paralithodes platypus Conservation status Least Concern Scientific classification Domain: Eukaryota Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Subphylum: Crustacea Class: Malacostraca Order: Decapoda Family: Lithodidae Genus: Paralithodes Species: P. platypus Binomial name Paralithodes platypus Paralithodes platypus, the blue king crab, is a species of North Pacific king crab which lives near St. … Callinectes sapidus: information (1) Callinectes sapidus: pictures (4) Species Carcinus maenas green crab. The Soldier Crab is quite distinctive with its small, round, blue body on long jointed legs with purple stripes. In addition, recent reports have shown that blue crabs are projected to be detrimentally impacted by climate change in a way that can also wreak havoc on sensitive ecosystems that the blue crab calls home. Have them identify what characteristics cause the blue crab to be classified in the Order that they are, and name one other member of this order. Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Subphylum: Crustacea Class: Malacostraca Subclass: Eumalacostraca Superorder: Eucarida Order: Decapoda Suborder: Pleocyemata Infraorder: Brachyura Tender leaves, fruits, berries, flowers, beetles and other large insects are the blue land crab’s preferred diet, while the blackback land crab occasionally enjoys animal matter found near the burrows. In turn, the yeti crab, which gets its name from its furry legs like those of the caricature, lives in the depths of the South Pacific Ocean. Larvae hatch two weeks after fertilization and pass through a number of zoeal, or early larval, stages before metamorphosing into conventional crablike forms. New England/Mid-Atlantic. At spawning time the female’s abdomen swells with eggs. Land crab diets vary slightly from species to species, but generally include nesting sea birds, invertebrates and plants. Callinectes sapidus. The largest catch is the blue crab, which arrives on dinner tables in such forms as crab soup, crab cakes, steamed hard-shell crabs, soft-shell crabs, and crab imperial. Also known as the Chesapeake blue crab or the Atlantic blue crab, these crabs are strong swimmers—largely due to their fifth pair of legs, which are shaped like paddles. Omissions? Why do Callinectes sapidus: information (1) Callinectes sapidus: pictures (4) Species Callinectes similis lesser blue crab. Objective . Classification Additional information: Find blue crab information at Encyclopedia of Life; blue crab. Blue crabs are not threatened or endangered. The Blue crab is an omnivore, eating both plants and animals. 4, fig. BioKIDS is sponsored in part by the Interagency Education Research Initiative. Kingdom Animalia animal kingdom. Kingdom Animalia animals. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. The bay, which was called by journalist and critic H.L. the Atlantic or Chesapeake Blue Crab and the Snow Crab. The blue king crab or Paralithodes platypus in scientific terms, is the largest king crab species and one of the biggest crustaceans in the world.. Characteristics of the Blue King Crab. These crabs are omnivorous, since they eat a wide variety of invertebrates, as well as any dead or decaying organic matter (plant or animal). Blue crabs may grow to a carapace width of 23 cm (9.1 in). By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. C. sapidus individuals exhibit sexual dimorphism. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Still we know that if you were to go out and catch a blue crab today it would be the same species as it was 400 million years ago! Kingdom Animalia animals. Sea Crabs. ADW Pocket Guides on the iOS App Store! The chelae, or pincers, are large and somewhat unequal in size. ... species of the Blue Crab. BioKIDS home  |  Questions?  |  Animal Diversity Web  |  Cybertracker Tools. Blue crab, (genus Callinectes ), any of a genus of crustaceans of the order Decapoda (phylum Arthropoda), particularly Callinectes sapidus and C. hastatus, common edible crabs of the western Atlantic coast that are prized as delicacies. Precarious living… most recently revised and updated by, https: //www.britannica.com/animal/blue-crab carapace width of 23 cm 9.1., sorting through it for organic matter habitat loss and nutrient loading are of. € still affords a precarious living… tipped with red spines occur on blue crab species classification side, offers, estuaries! Occur on each side revised and updated by, https: //www.britannica.com/animal/blue-crab is an,... 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