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Blue Swimmer Crab

Kumari Sonali

Blue Swimmer Crab:

ICAR-Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture (ICAR-CIBA), Chennai, has successfully demonstrated Blue Swimmer Crab (Portunus reticulatus) farming technology for the first time.

  • Blue Swimmer Crab is a brachyuran crab in the Portunidae family.
  • It is also known as the blue crab, blue swimmer crab, blue manna crab and flower crab.
  • It is usually recognized by flat, disc-shaped hind legs, used as paddles for swimming, and by the nine spikes or horns along their carapace, on either side of their eyes.
  • It is found in Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines, China, Japan, Malaysia, Australia, India, Sweden, Singapore
  • In India it is distributed all along the east and west coasts with a dominant fishery at Palk Bay and Gulf of Mannar.
  • They stay buried under sand or mud most of the time, particularly during the daytime and winter, which may explain their high tolerance to ammonium (NH4+) and ammonia (NH3).
  • They come out to feed during high tide on various organisms such as bivalves, fish and, to a lesser extent, macroalgae.