Crabs making war or love?

Fish & Invertebrate sightings and descriptions, hosted by resident NWDC ID expert Janna Nichols (nwscubamom).
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carlk3
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Crabs making war or love?

Post by carlk3 »

I have two crab related questions.
  • Yesterday at Alki, we saw a "normal" crab (Dungeness?) scuttle away. We think it was carrying another crab -- same type, a little smaller, inverted. Is this likely? (sorry, no picture)
  • We also saw these two Kelp Crab (?) "fighting". Is that right? or are they mating?
    1909431_10153012752509093_5091630290050123211_o.jpg
Thanks!
- Carl
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Desert Diver
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Re: Crabs making war or love?

Post by Desert Diver »

Sometimes it's hard to tell with humans too, but the Dungeness were mating.
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Jeremy
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Re: Crabs making war or love?

Post by Jeremy »

50 shades of crab
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Norris
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Re: Crabs making war or love?

Post by Norris »

Pretty sure the Kelps are fighting, maybe over the other?
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carlk3
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Re: Crabs making war or love?

Post by carlk3 »

A page on the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife web site says:
Crab reproduction

Dungeness crab can only successfully mate when the female is newly molted. For this reason, in early spring, adult male crabs seek female crabs that are likely to molt soon. Crabs will stay in this “pre-mating embrace” until females molt, this can go on as long as two weeks. After females molt, male spermatophores are deposited and the embrace often continues for protection of the newly molted female.

The offset molting cycle is the reason female crab molts appear on Oregon beaches earlier than those of males.
Image
Caption: Pre-mating embrace of Dungeness crab

(That's what we saw all righty. Thanks!)
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Greg Jensen
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Re: Crabs making war or love?

Post by Greg Jensen »

Norris nailed it- two big males fighting over the smaller one in the middle
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