The Blue Crab(Callinectes sapidus)

Don't be afraid of this crabby crustacean! The blue crab uses its beautiful claws to protect itself from predators and to catch prey. These crabs, abundant in the Hudson River, are a common catch by our students.

The blue crab has a hard shell exoskeleton which protects it from other predators. Eventually the crab will molt its shell, thus becoming a soft shell crab. This new shell will take a few days to harden, but will once again act as a shield to anyone who may want to feast on the crab.

There are a couple of simple ways to identify whether a blue crab is a male or a female. One such way is by looking at its claws. Females have front claws that look like they were painted red at the tips. Just like if a girl painted her fingernails. Take a look at the video below. By observing the crab's claws, is it a male or a female? Another more challenging way to identify the crab is by looking at its abdomen on the underside of its body. The female abdomen is wide and in the shape of a triangle, while the male has a much narrower and pointed abdomen.

Blue crabs are excellent swimmers with strong paddle-like fins. These fins allow them to easily get from one place to another. However, if you were to go looking for blue crabs, they would be tough to find. Blue crabs in the Hudson spend most of their time searching though the muddy bottom of the river for food. Your best chance to see a blue crab is in our seine net. Check out our upcoming schedule of events and attend a seining program where you will get the chance to meet a blue crab up close!

Fun Fact! - The blue crab's scientific name is Callinectes sapidus. Callinectes means "beautiful swimmer" while sapidus means "delicious"!

Click below to view a video of our resident blue crab!!!