Jonah crab

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Jonah crab
Jonah crab noaa overhead picture accessed-2024-04-24.jpg
Status TNC G5.svg
Secure  (NatureServe) [1]
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Malacostraca
Order: Decapoda
Suborder: Pleocyemata
Infraorder: Brachyura
Family: Cancridae
Genus: Cancer
Species:
C. borealis
Binomial name
Cancer borealis
Stimpson, 1859

The Jonah crab (Cancer borealis) is a marine brachyuran crab that inhabits waters along the east coast of North America from Newfoundland to Florida. [2] Jonah crabs possess a rounded, rough-edged carapace with small light spots, and robust claws with dark brown-black tips. The maximum reported carapace width for males is 8.7 in (222 mm), while females rarely exceed 5.9 in (150 mm). [3] It is the closest relative to the European brown crab in the Western Atlantic. [4]

Contents

Growth and reproduction

Males and females grow at about the same rate before reaching a carapace width of 1.2–1.6 in (30–40 mm), which is about the size of gonadal sexual maturity. After this point, females grow more slowly than males. Males tend to mature at a smaller size than females, but only reach functional sexual maturity at around 5.02 in (127.6 mm), when they are capable of engaging in the copulatory embrace. [5] [6] Size at gonadal maturity is greater for populations at higher latitudes. [5]

A study in Rhode Island Sound found a discrete molting season in June for smaller (carapace width less than 4.7 in (120 mm)) male Jonah crabs. With each successive molt, post-molt width increments decreased for female crabs and increased for male crabs. Male crabs in Rhode Island Sound with carapace widths above 4.7 in (120 mm) were unlikely to molt. It is possible that Jonah crabs migrate from the area before becoming larger, as larger crabs are more frequently found further offshore. [7]

Mating occurs after female ecdysis and sperm can be stored indefinitely. Spawning generally takes place inshore. Spawning season occurs later in the year for populations at higher latitudes, occurring in the early spring in the Mid-Atlantic Bight and in the fall in Maine. Eggs are brooded for 5–6 months before hatching. [6] After a period in the plankton as zoea, megalopa settle in the subtidal zone with no clear preference between cobble and sand substrates. [8]

Habitat and behavior

Jonah crabs have been reported at depths of up to 2,460 ft (750 m). [2] Habitat preferences for Cancer borealis range from rocky substrate in Rhode Island and the Gulf of Maine to silt and clay substrate on the continental slope. [3] It is widely accepted that this species moves offshore in the fall and winter, and females have been documented moving inshore in late spring and summer. [9] The Jonah crab is known to move to areas of preferred temperature for behavioral thermoregulation. [10] The preferred temperature of this animal changes depending on the temperature to which it is acclimated. The estimated average preferred temperature is 59.7 °F (15.4 °C). [10] Because Jonah crabs are a strongly preferred prey item for gulls, their survivorship is highest in deep water. However, some crabs will forage at shallower depths and in the intertidal zone, where food is more abundant. Due to the increased growth rate of crabs who forage at shallow depths and the higher survivorship of crabs who forage in deep water, both behaviors have a roughly equivalent effect on fitness. [11] [12]

In contrast to that of smaller, more agile blue crabs and rock crabs, the predation style of Jonah crabs has been likened to that of lobsters, relying on brute crushing force. As a result, they are able to feed on large mussels and periwinkles inaccessible to other co-occurring predators. [13]

FMIB 51195 Jonah Crab, Cancer borealis, Stimpson; male.jpeg

Diet

According to stomach content analysis on individuals from the Gulf of Maine, the diet of Cancer borealis consists of mussels, arthropods, snails, and some algal species. Blue mussels (Mytilus edulis) composed more than 50% of analyzed stomach contents. [11]

Fishery

Jonah crabs have long been caught as bycatch in lobster traps. Once, they were considered a nuisance and a pest that stole the bait in the traps and they were thrown back in the sea by many angry fishermen. In the past twenty years, particularly in New England, landings have increased due to increased fishing pressure and market demand. Landings of Cancer borealis in the United States rose from 2–3 million lb (0.91–1.36 million kg) annually in the 1990s to more than 17 million lb (7.7 million kg) in 2014. In 2014, 70.05% of landings came from Massachusetts, followed by Rhode Island with 24.43%. Jonah crabs are not managed federally in the United States, but instead are managed by individual states with interstate coordination by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. [9]

Cooking

Jonah crab has a sweet taste, though it is not as meaty as the West Coast Dungeness crab. The claws can be served steamed and served chilled over ice for an appetizer or the meat used for crab cakes, among many other preparations. [14] Seafood based broths and Asian style soups can be made from the shells and the texture is as fine as snow crab but as firm as Florida stone crab when prepared properly. [15]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American lobster</span> Species of lobster

The American lobster is a species of lobster found on the Atlantic coast of North America, chiefly from Labrador to New Jersey. It is also known as Atlantic lobster, Canadian lobster, true lobster, northern lobster, Canadian Reds, or Maine lobster. It can reach a body length of 64 cm (25 in), and a mass of over 20 kilograms (44 lb), making it not only the heaviest crustacean in the world, but also the heaviest of all living arthropod species. Its closest relative is the European lobster Homarus gammarus, which can be distinguished by its coloration and the lack of spines on the underside of the rostrum. American lobsters are usually bluish green to brown with red spines, but several color variations have been observed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Zealand pea crab</span> Species of crab

The New Zealand pea crab, is a species of small, parasitic crab that lives most commonly inside New Zealand green-lipped mussels. Adult females are about the size and shape of a pea, while adult males are smaller and flatter. Adult New Zealand pea crabs are completely reliant on their host mussel for shelter and food, which it steals from the mussel's gills. The New Zealand pea crab is found throughout New Zealand and can infect up to 70% of natural populations. These crabs are of concern to green-lipped mussel aquaculture because they reduce the size and growth of mussels, although infected mussels can be harvested and consumed.

<i>Callinectes sapidus</i> Species of crustacean

Callinectes sapidus, the blue crab, Atlantic blue crab, or, regionally, the Maryland blue crab, is a species of crab native to the waters of the western Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, and introduced internationally.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dungeness crab</span> Species of crustacean

The Dungeness crab makes up one of the most important seafood industries along the west coast of North America. Its typical range extends from Alaska's Aleutian Islands to Point Conception, near Santa Barbara, California. Dungeness typically grow 6–7 in (150–180 mm) at their widest point and inhabit eelgrass beds and sandy bottoms. Its common name comes from the Dungeness Spit in the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Washington state, United States, which shelters a shallow bay inhabited by the crabs.

<i>Cancer pagurus</i> Species of crustacean

Cancer pagurus, commonly known as the edible crab or brown crab, is a species of crab found in the North Sea, North Atlantic Ocean, and perhaps the Mediterranean Sea. It is a robust crab of a reddish-brown colour, having an oval carapace with a characteristic "pie crust" edge and black tips to the claws. A mature adult may have a carapace width up to 25 centimetres and weigh up to 3 kilograms. C. pagurus is a nocturnal predator, targeting a range of molluscs and crustaceans. It is the subject of the largest crab fishery in Western Europe, centred on the coasts of the British Isles, with more than 60,000 tonnes caught annually.

<i>Cancer irroratus</i> Species of crab

Cancer irroratus is a crab in the genus Cancer. It is found from Iceland to South Carolina at depths up to 2,600 ft (790 m), and reaches 133 mm (5.2 in) across the carapace.

<i>Hemigrapsus sanguineus</i> Species of crab

Hemigrapsus sanguineus, the Japanese shore crab or Asian shore crab, is a species of crab from East Asia. It has been introduced to several other regions, and is now an invasive species in North America and Europe. It was introduced to these regions by ships from Asia emptying their ballast tanks in coastal waters.

<i>Ovalipes catharus</i> Species of crab

Ovalipes catharus, commonly known as paddle crab and Māori: pāpaka, is a species of crab of the family Portunidae. It is found around the coasts of New Zealand, the Chatham Islands, and in south-eastern parts of Australia. Individuals from shallow waters, 0.1–0.5 metres (4–20 in) deep, have a carapace width of only 10–15 millimetres (0.4–0.6 in), while those from 5–15 m (16–49 ft) are 100–140 mm (3.9–5.5 in) wide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scorpion spider crab</span> Species of crab

Inachus dorsettensis, commonly known as the scorpion spider crab, is a species of crab generally found on loose substrates from 6 metres (20 ft) depth down to about 100 m (330 ft).

<i>Callinectes similis</i> Species of crab

Callinectes similis, sometimes called the lesser blue crab or dwarf crab, is a West Atlantic species of blue crab. It was described by Austin B. Williams in 1966.

<i>Geukensia demissa</i> Species of bivalve

Geukensia demissa is a species of mussel, a marine bivalve mollusk in the family Mytilidae, the true mussels. This species is native to the Atlantic coast of North America. The common names for this species include ribbed mussel, Atlantic ribbed marsh mussel and ribbed horsemussel. However, the common name ribbed mussel is also used for the Southern Hemisphere mussel Aulacomya atra. The appearance of the shell is grooved and oval in shape. The interior of this mussel is tinted purple.

Tumidotheres maculatus is a species of crab that lives commensally or parasitically in the mantle cavity of molluscs. It is found along much of the western Atlantic Ocean and was first described by Thomas Say in 1818.

<i>Chionoecetes opilio</i> Species of crab

Chionoecetes opilio, a species of snow crab, also known as opilio crab or opies, is a predominantly epifaunal crustacean native to shelf depths in the northwest Atlantic Ocean and north Pacific Ocean. It is a well-known commercial species of Chionoecetes, often caught with traps or by trawling. Seven species are in the genus Chionoecetes, all of which bear the name "snow crab". C. opilio is related to C. bairdi, commonly known as the tanner crab, and other crab species found in the cold, northern oceans.

Hypothalassia acerba is a large crab found in the muddy substrates of the deep seas off the southwestern Australian and New Zealand coasts. Australian distribution, which is correlated to depth and temperature, ranges from a latitude as far north as approximately 27° S on the west coast, southwards, then eastwards on the south coast to a longitude of at least 129° E. The species usually occurs in waters with temperatures of 13–19 °C (55–66 °F) and in depths ranging of 200–255 metres (656–837 ft) on the lower west coast and 90–200 m (300–660 ft) on the south coast. Body size is inversely related to depth of water. There are only two species in the genus Hypothalassia, and H. acerba is not the same champagne crab as the other Hypothalassia species, H. armata, which is found in Japanese waters.

<i>Dyspanopeus sayi</i> Species of crab

Dyspanopeus sayi is a species of mud crab that is native to the Atlantic coast of North America. It has also become established outside its native range, living in Swansea Docks since 1960, the Mediterranean Sea since the 1970s, the North Sea since 2007 and the Black Sea since 2010. It can reach a carapace width of 20 mm (0.8 in), and has black tips to its unequal claws. It feeds on bivalves and barnacles, and is in turn eaten by predators including the Atlantic blue crab, Callinectes sapidus. Eggs are produced from spring to autumn, the offspring reach sexual maturity the following summer, and individuals can live for up to two years. The closest relative of D. sayi is D. texanus, which lives in the Gulf of Mexico; the two species differ in subtle features of the genitalia and the last pair of walking legs.

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References

  1. ↑ NatureServe (30 June 2023). "Cancer borealis". NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data accessed through NatureServe Explorer. Arlington, Virginia: NatureServe. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  2. 1 2 Paul Haefner (1977). "Aspects of the biology of the Jonah crab, Cancer borealis Stimpson, 1859 in the mid-Atlantic Bight". Journal of Natural History . 11 (3): 303–320. Bibcode:1977JNatH..11..303H. doi:10.1080/00222937700770221.
  3. 1 2 D. A. Rochibaud; C. Frail (2006). "Development of Jonah crab, Cancer borealis, and rock crab, Cancer irroratus, fisheries in the Bay of Fundy (L FAs 35-38) and off southwest Nova Scotia (LFA 34): from exploratory to commercial status (1995–2004)" (PDF). Canadian Manuscript Report of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. 2775 (3).
  4. ↑ Michelle K. Harrison; Bernard J. Crespi (1999). "Phylogenetics of Cancer crabs (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura)" (PDF). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution . 12 (2): 186–199. doi:10.1006/mpev.1998.0608. PMID   10381321.
  5. 1 2 Lawton, Peter; Duggan, David; Moriyasu, Mikio; Benhalima, Khadra; Robichaud, David (2002). "Reproductive Biology of Male Jonah Crab, Cancer borealis Stimpson, 1859 (Decapoda, Cancridae) on the Scotian Shelf, Northwestern Atlantic". Crustaceana. 75 (7): 891–913. doi:10.1163/156854002321210730. ISSN   0011-216X.
  6. 1 2 Gulf of Maine Research Institute and University of Maine, 2013. Jonah Crab MSC Pre-Assessment Report November 2013. [online] Portland, ME. Available at: https://www.gmri.org/documents/50/jonah_crab_pre-assessment_november_1_2013.pdf [Accessed 27 September 2022]
  7. ↑ Truesdale, Corinne L.; McManus, M. Conor; Collie, Jeremy S. (March 2019). "Growth and molting characteristics of Jonah crab (Cancer borealis) in Rhode Island Sound". Fisheries Research. 211: 13–20. doi:10.1016/j.fishres.2018.10.030. ISSN   0165-7836. S2CID   92164350.
  8. ↑ Palma, Alvaro T.; Steneck, Robert S.; Wilson, Carl J. (August 1999). "Settlement-driven, multiscale demographic patterns of large benthic decapods in the Gulf of Maine". Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology. 241 (1): 107–136. doi:10.1016/s0022-0981(99)00069-6. ISSN   0022-0981.
  9. 1 2 "Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Jonah Crab" (PDF). Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. Retrieved 27 October 2015.
  10. 1 2 Lara Lewis; Joseph Ayers (2014). "Temperature preference and acclimation in the Jonah crab, Cancer borealis". Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology . 455: 7–13. doi:10.1016/j.jembe.2014.02.013.
  11. 1 2 Megan J. Donahue; Allison Nichols; Carlos A. Santamaria; Paloma E. League-Pike; Cory J. Krediet; Kestrel O. Perez; Myra J. Shulman (2009). "Predation risk, prey abundance, and the vertical distribution of three brachyuran crabs on Gulf of Maine shores". Journal of Crustacean Biology . 29 (4): 523–531. doi: 10.1651/08-3061.1 .
  12. ↑ Krediet, Cory J.; Donahue, Megan J. (2009-05-31). "Growth-mortality trade-offs along a depth gradient in Cancer borealis". Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology. 373 (2): 133–139. doi:10.1016/j.jembe.2009.04.001. ISSN   0022-0981.
  13. ↑ Moody, Kirt E.; Steneck, Robert S. (1993-05-03). "Mechanisms of predation among large decapod crustaceans of the Gulf of Maine Coast: functional vs. phylogenetic patterns". Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology. 168 (1): 111–124. doi:10.1016/0022-0981(93)90118-8. ISSN   0022-0981.
  14. ↑ "From Bycatch to Center of the Plate: Jonah Crab". Pangea Shellfish Company | Oyster and Shellfish Wholesale. Retrieved 2019-02-18.
  15. ↑ "Jonah Crabs Claw Their Way Up in Culinary Credibility". hamptons-magazine.com. Retrieved 2019-02-18.
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