Callinectes similis   Williams, 1966

Lesser blue crab

Native range | All suitable habitat | Point map | Year 2050
This map was computer-generated and has not yet been reviewed.
Callinectes similis  AquaMaps  Data sources: GBIF OBIS
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drawing shows typical species in Portunidae.

Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | CoL | ITIS | WoRMS

Malacostraca | Decapoda | Portunidae

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology

Benthopelagic; depth range 0 - 379 m (Ref. 367), usually 0 - 92 m.  Tropical

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Introductions

Western Atlantic: from USA to Colombia. Tropical to temperate.

Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm Max length : 12.2 cm WD male/unsexed; (Ref. 367); 9.5 cm WD (female)

Short description Morphology

Carapace more than twice as broad as long; 9 blunt teeth (outer orbital tooth and strong lateral spine included) on arched anterolateral margin; front bearing 4 teeth (excluding inner orbital angles), inner pair small but definitely formed. Much of convex dorsal surface lightly and uniformly granulate in addition to transverse lines of fine granulations; central trapezoidal (metagastric) area short and wide (anterior width about 2.75 times, posterior width about 1.7 times length). Pincers dissimilar, with very fine granules on longitudinal ridges; fifth legs flattened in form of paddles. Male with sixth (penultimate) segment of T-shaped abdomen broader than telson, flush with sternum in retracted position; first pleopods well separated and reaching anteriorly 2/3 length of thoracic sternite 7 or beyond, distal part slender, extending straight to tips curved slightly inward, armed with minute retrogressive spinules. Color: carapace green dorsally, irregular areas of iridescence at bases of and between anterolateral teeth, and on posterior and posterolateral border. Chelipeds and portions of legs similar in color more tannish green dorsally, with iridescent areas on outer surface, with fuchsia on tips of fingers and teeth of opposed edges. Lateral spines and some anterolateral teeth as well as spines on chelipeds white-tipped. Walking legs grading from fuchsia distally through violet blue to light blue mottled with white proximally, pubescence on legs beige. Swimming legs variably mottled with white; all legs with stellate fuchsia markings at articulations. Underparts white blue.

Biology     Glossary (e.g. epibenthic)

Benthopelagic (Ref. 97531). Inhabits marine littoral water, seldom in estuaries. Found in salinities ranging from 24.9 to 37.4 ppm and temperatures between 13 and 29°C, at depths down to 92 m, recorded occasionally to 379 m. Usually associated with Callinectes sapidus. Feeds on plant fragment, fish remains, polychaetes, crustaceans (Farfantepenaeus aztecus and Portunus gibbesii), micromollusks (Mulinia lateralis) and detritus.

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae

Members of the order Decapoda are mostly gonochoric. Mating behavior: Precopulatory courtship ritual is common (through olfactory and tactile cues); usually indirect sperm transfer.

Main reference References | Coordinator | Collaborators

Tavares, M. 2003. (Ref. 367)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)

  Not Evaluated 

CITES status (Ref. 108899)

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

Human uses

Fisheries: commercial
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Tools

E-book | Field guide

More information

Countries
FAO areas
Ecosystems
Occurrences
Introductions
Stocks
Ecology
Diet
Food items
Common names
Synonyms
Predators
Reproduction
Maturity
Spawning
Fecundity
Eggs
Egg development
Age/Size
Growth
Length-weight
Length-length
Morphology
Larvae
Abundance
References
Mass conversion
Collaborators
Pictures

Internet sources

BHL | BOLD Systems | CISTI | DiscoverLife | FAO(Publication : search) | Fishipedia | GenBank (genome, nucleotide) | GloBI | Gomexsi | Google Books | Google Scholar | Google | PubMed | Tree of Life | Wikipedia (Go, Search) | Zoological Record

Estimates based on models

Preferred temperature (Ref. 115969): 21.4 - 27.8, mean 25.6 (based on 1134 cells).
Vulnerability (Ref. 71543): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).
Price category (Ref. 80766): Very high.