Almost we have all seen Crabs in our lives they are a diverse group of animals mostly found in the sea and freshwater. they are known for their distinctive big pincers and hard shells. And if you are a fan of seafood then your tongue knows the test of crabs very well because crabs are one of the popular choices as seafood in many countries. However, some crab species are also kept as exotic pets.
But have you ever thought about how crabs increase their population? do they lay eggs? and if they do, how do they lay the eggs?
Do Crabs Lay Eggs?
The short answer to that is yes, crabs lay eggs, and not in 10, 100, or 1000 this count goes to the millions however not all species of crabs lay that many eggs. but many of them lay in millions.
Like any other animal Crabs reproduce to increase their population by laying eggs. these eggs are fertilized when they leave the crab’s body. once they leave the crab’s body a female crab carries all of their eggs in a special part of their body called an “apron” which is a special part of the abdomen. and this egg masses have an average of two million eggs and can also go up to eight million eggs as well.
The reason why crabs lay that many eggs is that many eggs do not survive even during the hatching period due to predation and various other factors.
Whatever amount of eggs is going into the series of development cycles. they first develop into the larvae, which eventually hatch from the egg and then this larva undergoes the series of molts and shedding their exoskeleton while growing into adult crabs.
The time takes to complete the development cycles in crabs varies depending on the species and the environmental condition in which they are growing.
What Are The Egg-Laying Habits Of Crabs?
We all have different habits for doing particular work the same thing happens with the crabs as well. crab egg-laying habits vary from species to species. However, there are some general patterns for egg lying that are found common in many species.
As we discussed earlier in most crab species, the female is responsible for carrying their eggs in the special part of their abdomen called the apron. The apron is a sac-like structure that is used to protect and nourish the eggs during their development.
This is the same thing we see in the kangaroo they also have a couch to protect their baby and nourish them during the development period. But this is not exactly like the kangaroo you can see in the image below the eggs of crabs are hanging below the female crab’s abdomen.
Once the eggs are placed in the apron how long does it take to hatch? This depends on the species and the environmental conditions. for some species of crab, it takes several weeks or months to complete the hatching process of Eggs while other species may take a longer time to do the same thing.
When female crabs see the eggs are ready to hatch, they release the eggs into the water this process is called the “barry formation” This name is given based on the appearance of the egg’s cluster while they are held by the female crab.
Once the eggs are released into the water, Now they are ready to hatch into the larva and begin their journey through the various stages of the crab’s life cycle. but this journey is not easy for them because there are plenty of predators waiting for them.
In addition, some crab species may exhibit alternative reproductive strategies, such as B. parthenogenesis (reproduction without fertilization) or hermaphroditism (possession of both male and female reproductive organs).
Do Crabs Eat Their Eggs?
Many of us may not know That crabs are omnivores, That means that crabs are just like humans they can eat include Plants, algae, and small animals such as worms and mussels in their diet.
Apart from this type of Food sometimes crabs become so cruel when they are hungry and no other food is available at that time they do not hesitate to eat their eggs or larvae. This survival mechanism allows crabs to ensure they have enough food in times of scarcity.
As with many animals female crabs also sometimes eat part of their eggs or larvae after carrying them. Researchers believe that by doing this mother crabs can replenish some of the nutrients they lost during egg gestation. you may not be surprised if the mother crab eats 25-30% of its larvae.
As seen in humans and any other mammals who have a strong bond with their infants crabs don’t have that strong eternal bond with their young because they don’t form close social bonds like other animals. That means if they are required to eat their eggs or larvae to survive they do not hesitate to do so.
You may think that this is cruel, How can someone eat their young ones? However, this behavior is common in not only crabs but in many other animals as well here are some examples of these animals Black widow spiders, Frogs, Hamsters, Guppies, and many more.
How Often Do Crabs Lay Eggs?
According to Blue Crab info, A female crab mates only once in a lifetime with its mate female crab can produce many fertilized egg mosses during her lifetime. Studies conducted in Florida found that some female crabs can produce as many as seven broods in one year from the single mating, and this can go up to 18 broods over 2-2½ years.
Female crabs lay more than a million Eggs at a time but only a few can serve and reach full maturity. most of them are eaten by fish or harvested by humans.
As we discussed above female crabs can lay eggs multiple times in a year but it also depends on the species and the environmental condition in which the crabs live. As we seen above some species can lay 9-10 times in a year while some species can lay eggs in several years.
For example, you look at Blue crabs (Callinectes sapidus) which are found in the Atlantic and many Gulf Coasts of the United States they typically lay eggs several times a year around 4 to 5 times and each egg mass contains an average of two million eggs.
Some other crab species, such as the red king crab (Paralilithodes camtschaticus), are found in the North specific ocean and can grow to be very large, up to 24 pounds with a leg span of 5 feet.
Males grow faster and larger than females. Female red king crabs reproduce once a year and release between 50,000 and 500,000 eggs. Larvae hatch from eggs looking like tiny shrimp.