The Asian Shore Crab from Manilla Bay

Ray McClain). The ‘farmed’ and the wild crawfish are both composed of the same species, the red swamp crawfish (Procambarus clarkii) and the white river crawfish (P. zonangulus). The more popular of the two crustaceans the red swamp crawfish, as it is caught more often is purchased more at the market. There are other crustaceans that are important to the basin besides crawfish, however. Blue crabs (Callinectes sapidus) are a vital resource in Louisiana’s seafood industry. The crabs are harvested by way of traps. In the case that the traps are lost or abandoned, they will continue to catch crabs. This is leading to a downturn in the blue crab population. Fish are also affected by the traps, as they are also caught. Despite the risked to the crab population, , the Marine Stewardship Council recognized the Louisiana blue crab fishery as the only sustainable blue crab fishery in the world in March of

You scratch Giant Crab 1 in the left first leg from behind, fracturing the chitin and bruising the fat!

Crabs spawn near the mouth of the Bay in Virginia water, therefore few sponge crabs (female crabs carrying eggs) are seen in Maryland (“Chesapeake Wildlife”). Juvenile crabs migrate northward to feed and grow in the brackish creeks of the Tidewater.

The Callinectes sapidus also known commonly as the Maryland Blue Crab, is a crustacean found in the Chesapeake Bay. The blue crab is found in aquatic environments, most often in estuaries. It characterized by it’s blue claws. The blue crabs undergo a life cycle of: zoeae, megalop, juvenile, and adulthood. The blue crab’s hard shells serve as a protective barrier for external dangers. The Callinectes sapidus comes from the order of Decapods, whereby it’s carapace has now evolved to be better suited for swimming. Of interest is the blue crab’s mating

Horseshoe crabs live in the Delaware Bay and give birth to their offspring there. At this time the red knots, a type of bird, migrate to the area to collect food. The food they collect is the newly conceived horseshoe crab eggs that are buried along the shore sand.

Only one method of planktonic sampling was used so comparison with another method of sampling cannot be done. It is safe to assume that the most appropriate method of sampling in these areas was previously determined by the lab instructor. Isolation of organisms in the samples was met with some difficulty as there was very little life to be observed. Once isolated however, a general identification was simple with the use of the “quick picks” section of the Marine Invertebrate Zoology Lab Manual. One particular organism isolated from the “T-docks” samples, a foraminiferida, was chosen for scientific drawing (Figure 1).

This species of communal crab only grows to a width of 1 inch, and has a square purplish body. The main source of food for these creatures are the leaves of marsh cordgrass, and the occasional smaller species of crabs like fiddler crabs. They are also nocturnal creatures, which makes them hard to study. Predators of this species include the Blue Crab, Striped Bass, and certain species of marsh birds.

In the Salton Sea, desert pupfish are the only native fish species. They can be found in shoreline pools, agricultural drains, natural creeks and a few artificial refuge ponds. The actual use of the Sea itself by the desert pupfish is largely unknown. The protection and enhancement of existing habitats including shoreline pools, agricultural drains and natural creeks in the Salton Sea watershed are necessary for the future of this species in California.

Knowing how many horseshoe crabs there are helps fisheries managers develop effective policy for managing populations. You can help by volunteering to count the crabs in May and June.

This lab is based off of European Green Crabs preying on Periwinkle Snails. From the name, one can tell the European Crab originated in Europe and is not native to North America. The crab ranged its expansion north of Cape Cod, where Periwinkle snails were introduced to a new predator. (McRae, 2015-pg. 1)

The PaV1 infection is a pathogenic virus that is usually lethal within the course of weeks or months for juvenile spiny lobsters and the spiny lobster species is commonly affected by this disease. Most lobster traps are baited with live, sublegal-sized lobsters because these attract legal sized lobsters due to their social natures but it is not well known how lobsters react to traps that have PaV1 infected lobsters in them or how other lobsters confined in the traps with the infected lobsters handle this virus. The study found that 11% of lobsters caught in traps tested positive for the virus even though they showed no visible signs of disease. It was also found that traps containing infected lobsters caught a significantly lower amount of lobsters compared to those traps that had healthy lobsters in them. Once healthy lobsters were caught in traps with PaV1 positive lobsters, the healthy ones soon became infected more so than healthy lobsters confined with other healthy lobsters. These results show that a pathogen can have a significant impact on the practice of wood box like traps that can have negative consequences to the lobster

Studies have found information on ancestral species of current horseshoe crabs. Xiphosurids, which are very old fossils that were not easily found; however, they were compared in body structure of current time horseshoe crabs and showed that there was hardly any change in the body structure. The body plan of a xiphosurid is described as having large crescent like shield in the anterior portion of its body resembling an invertibrate with lateral compound eyes. Xiphosurids are also classified as having opisthosomal tergites built into a thoracetron and having a long styliform telson (Rudkin et al. 2008).

Green Crab: This crab has been carried all over by ships. It eats many forms of shore life, including worms and mollusks. In certain areas, due to the appetite of the crab, it has affected the commercial shellfish industry.

The above mentioned habitats are crucial because it support priority species in the Bay. Although more than 3,600 different species of plants and animals live in the tidal waters of the Bay, there are priority species that shall be protected. The most important keystone species are the Blue Crab, the Oysters, the Bald Eagle and the Black Duck. Keystone species are valuable components at the community scale because they maintain biodiversity and influence critical ecological process (Peck, 1998:34). Blue crabs not only

The Caribbean Spiny Lobster, a uniquely adorned decapod, is found in subtropical to tropical waters, inhabiting rocky crags to sponges to sea grass. A carnivorous species, they will feed on gastropods, sea urchins, worms, and crustaceans. In addition to this, they are also important aquatic scavengers, aiding in the process of decomposition of dead organisms that fall to the ocean floor (Kanciruk 1980). Commonly fed on by moray eels and nurse sharks, they play a significant role in the food chain for not only marine species, but for humans as well. According to the FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Department, this is one of the most important Palinurid species that is harvested in American waters due to high demand (Holthuis 1991). The economic