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Education: Bay & Rivah Critters
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If you guessed mature female blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) or "sook" you would be correct! The full photo of the female blue crab or sook shows the "capital dome" shape of the abdomen and red-tipped claws. Sooks carrying eggs are called "sponge crabs." |
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This is a mature male blue crab with the inverted T and looks like the Washington Monument. The male is the preferred sex of crabbers looking to obtain a larger amount of meat. |
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Here is the adolescent female blue crab, also called a "Sally" or "She crab." The apron is fixed to her body until she matures and becomes a sook who is then able to mate. |
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For an excellent overview of everything related to the blue crab including biology, fishery, how to build a crabpot, crab house restaurants, crab forums and other resources, please see BlueCrab.Info.
Also see the Virginia Sea Grant page on blue crabs and VIMS Top Stories on blue crabs
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