Life Cycle of the Blue Crab

1. Life Cycle of the Blue Crab Created by Ms.Ibelli

2. Life Cycle of the Blue Crab

3. Eggs • Mature female crabs migrate to the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. • Depending on the size of the female, the blue crabs carry and release 800,000 to 8,000,000 eggs.

4. Zoea • When the larvae reach a certain developmental stage the eggs break open and the larvae --now called zoea--are released into the water column.

5. Megalopa • The eggs hatch into the first larval stage called the zoea. • Zoea are too small to swim and simply float in the ocean waters where they feed on phytoplankton. • After four or five weeks of floating in ocean currents, a zoea develops into the second larval stage and is now called a megalopa.

6. Juvenile Crabs • Juvenile crabs are tiny crabs that can swim or walk on the muddy bay bottom. • The juvenile crabs continue to migrate into the Bay along the shallow areas and use the underwater sea grasses as a refuge. • By hiding in these beds of underwater grasses they can escape from large crabs and other predators.

7. Adult Crabs • After about 12 to 18 months, a juvenile crab reaches maturity. • When young female crabs become mature, it is time for them to mate to create the next generation of blue crabs. • After mating, the mature females migrate to the mouth of the Bay carrying her brood of eggs. • And the cycle continues!

8. Resources • http://www.serc.si.edu/education/resources/bluecrab/lifecycle.jsp • www.enchantedlearning.com