Blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) from Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island.

Blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) from Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island.

Creator: NOAA via Wikimedia Commons

Licence: Public domain

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Species record

Blue Crab

Callinectes sapidus

Explore the Blue Crab (Callinectes sapidus) species record in The Ark Is Earth, including classification, habitat, distribution, conservation information, and sources.

Summary

Atlantic blue crabs are native to the western Atlantic from Cape Cod to northern Argentina; adults are occasionally found as far north as Nova Scotia. Introduced populations are established in parts of northern Europe and the Mediterranean, and the species has also been reported in the Black Sea. Their rear legs are flattened into paddles, and they eat clams, oysters, smaller crustaceans, fish remains, and detritus.

Classification in this archive

  1. Kingdom: Animals
  2. Phylum: Arthropods
  3. Class: Crabs, lobsters and relatives
  4. Order: Decapoda
  5. Family: Portunidae
  6. Genus: Callinectes
  7. Species: Callinectes sapidus

Habitat and distribution

Selected documented locations — not a complete species range.

Habitat
estuaries, tidal marshes, coastal waters
Selected regions
Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, South America

Conservation status

Conservation status not recorded.

Did you know?

  • A blue crab’s rear legs are shaped like paddles and help it swim.

More images

Blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) at Caorle, Italy.

Blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) photographed at Caorle, Italy.

Creator: Holger Krisp

Licence: CC BY 3.0

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Sources and attribution