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?
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.