Blue Crab

Callinectes sapidus

The blue crab which is scientifically named Callinectes sapidus the natural range of the blue crab is western Atlantic Ocean from Nova Scotia to Argentina. Its habitat is anywhere in its natural range that contains salt or brackish water. For example, the salt marsh is a habitat of the blue crab. The blue crabs classification is domain Eukaryote, its kingdom is Animalia, its phylum is Arthropoda, and its class is Malacostraca. Its order is Decapoda, its family is Portunidae, its genus is Callinectes, and its species is Callinectes sapidus. The blue crab has bilateral symmetry, it is ectothermic, and heterotrophic. The blue crab is 120 to 170 millimeters in length, they are usually blue, white/grey, and have a little bit of orange on them, and they are also very aggressive. Three structural adaptations a blue crab has are that its last set of legs are flippers so the flippers help them swim, its eyes face outward so it can see predators and prey coming, and lastly, they have sharp pincher-like claw that help them catch prey and defend themselves from predators. An interesting fact about this organism is that it can regenerate legs or pinchers it lost. The blue crabs predators are red drums, Atlantic croaker, herons, sea turtles, and humans. Its prey is small fish, aquatic vegetation, mollusks, crustaceans, and annelids. I have really enjoyed researching this fascinating organism.

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