Phenomena: Why are the Blue Crabs moving north?
Blue Crab (Callinectes sapidus)
The blue crab’s scientific name comes from the Greek words for “beautiful” and “swimmer.”
WHERE WOULD YOU EXPECT TO FIND BLUE CRABS?
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What does the blue crab eat? (Just for fun video)
They feed on almost anything they can get hold of, including mussels, snails, fish, plants, and even carrion and smaller blue crabs. They are also excellent swimmers, with specially adapted hind appendages shaped like paddles.
HOW DO SCIENTISTS TRACK AND MONITOR BLUE CRABS IN THE CHESAPEAKE BAY?
"The Chesapeake's beloved blue crabs entered a downward spiral in the 1990s that lasted almost two decades. Now they've started showing signs of recovery. But what will it take to ensure that blue crab numbers remain healthy for generations to come? Marine biologists at the Smithsonian have been tracking blue crabs on the Chesapeake since the 1970s. Tuck Hines, director and blue crab guru at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center in Edgewater, Md., takes TV host Josh Bernstein for a trip on the Rhode River to show him how it's done." (From https://serc.si.edu/research/projects/blue-crab-and-fishery)
"The Chesapeake's beloved blue crabs entered a downward spiral in the 1990s that lasted almost two decades. Now they've started showing signs of recovery. But what will it take to ensure that blue crab numbers remain healthy for generations to come? Marine biologists at the Smithsonian have been tracking blue crabs on the Chesapeake since the 1970s. Tuck Hines, director and blue crab guru at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center in Edgewater, Md., takes TV host Josh Bernstein for a trip on the Rhode River to show him how it's done." (From https://serc.si.edu/research/projects/blue-crab-and-fishery)
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VIDEO #1
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VIDEO #2
"Marine biologist Tuck Hines and a local Chesapeake crabber narrate the fall of the blue crab, and what may be the start of a recovery." (From: https://serc.si.edu/research/projects/blue-crab-and-fishery)
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FUN FACTS
(FROM https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/invertebrates/b/blue-crab/)
The Chesapeake bay is the world's largest blue crab fishery.
Female blue crabs mate only once in their lives.
Male blue crabs perform leg-waving dance moves to send signals to females.
Blue Crabs have 6 legs.
Blue Crabs get their name from their blue front claws.
Male crabs are called "jimmies" and mature females are called "sooks".
(FROM https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/invertebrates/b/blue-crab/)
The Chesapeake bay is the world's largest blue crab fishery.
Female blue crabs mate only once in their lives.
Male blue crabs perform leg-waving dance moves to send signals to females.
Blue Crabs have 6 legs.
Blue Crabs get their name from their blue front claws.
Male crabs are called "jimmies" and mature females are called "sooks".