Diagnostic Description
provided by FAO species catalogs
Carapace wider than long (more than twice including the antero-lateral spines). Front (excluding inner orbital angles) bearing 2 obtuse to acuminate, broadly triangular teeth with sinuous inner margins longer than outer margins; 9 anterolateral, acuminate teeth, the larger one at the lateral corner long and sharp-pointed, and having a dorsal carina produced to the metagastric area; telson lanceolate, longer than wider. Chelipeds: strong with granular ridges; fingers with strong irregular cutting teeth; merus with 3 very strong inner spines increasing in size distally; the two last segments of the fifth legs flattened in form of paddles. Colour greyish, bluish to brownish green dorsally. Diverse coloured tints present dorsally on the carapace ornamentation (spines or tubercles) and legs. Males with fingers on pincers blue, orange in mature females. Can be confused with: Other Callinectes species (C. bocourti, C. maracaiboensis, C. rathbunae, C. ornatus, C. danae) occurring in the same area have the front of carapace with 4 more or less well developed teeth (2 frontal teeth in C. sapidus). The inner pair of teeth are clearly smaller than the outer pair in C. danae and they are rudimentary in C. ornatus.
- Fischer, W. (ed.). 1973FICHES FAO d'identification des especes pour les besoins de la Pêche. Méditerraneé et Mer Noire (zone de Pêche 37). Vol. II Requins/raies, Crustacés et Mollusques.Rome, F.A.O.
- Fischer, W. (ed.). 1978FAO species identification sheets for fishery purposes. Western Central Atlantic (fishery area 31) vol. VI.Rome, F.A.O.
- Rathbun, M.J. 1930. The cancroid crabs of America of the families euryalidae, portunidae, atelecyclidae, cancridae and xanthidae. Smithsonian Institution Press. Washington, D.C. 609 p.
- Squires, H.J. 1990. Decapoda Crustacea of the Atlantic Coast of Canada. Canadian Bulletin of Fisheries and Aquatic sciences 221. 532 p.
- Vera, J. 1992 Diccionario multilingüe de especies marinas para el mundo hispano.Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación. Secretaria General Técnica. 1282 pp.
Distribution
provided by FAO species catalogs
Western Atlantic: from Nova Scotia to Nothern Argentina including Bermuda, the West Indies and Caribbean Sea. Introduced in the Eastern Atlantic (in the Noth Sea, and SW of France), in the northern and eastern Mediterranean (North Adriatic Sea, S.of Italia) and also in Japan.
Size
provided by FAO species catalogs
Carapace widths to 20.9 cm in males (9.1 cm carapace length, CL) and 20.4 cm in females (7.5 cm CL). Range in mature females from 5.5 to 20 cm CW.
Brief Summary
provided by FAO species catalogs
A shelf-estuarine speciesdistributed at depths between 0-90 mon muddy and sandy bottoms. The frequency of spawining depends of latitude, with two spawining periods (spring and summer) in the Chesapeake Bay. Maximum longevity: 3 years.Non-selective feeding includes oysters, clams, other benthic invertebrates, fishes, and plants material, also detritus and carrion.
Benefits
provided by FAO species catalogs
The total catch reported for this species to FAO for 1999 was 105 238 t. The countries with the largest catches were USA Atlantic, Northwest (60 329 t) and USA Atlantic, Western Central (31 459 t). It is marketed fresh.
