Ecology Summary - Callinectes sapidus

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Ecology of Callinectes sapidus

Main Ref.	Tavares, M., 2003
Remarks	Benthopelagic (Ref. 97531). Hatching occurs in mouths of estuaries and shallow marine waters, development of larvae progresses in the ocean, followed by migration of megalopae and young crabs back into estuarine waters to mature into adults (Ref. 367). Found on soft bottoms (Ref. 106866). Burrows in muddy-sand bottoms (Ref. 108781). Juveniles occur on seagrasses. Highly cannibalistic; adult conspecifics are observed attacking tethered juveniles (Ref. 106866). Appears to be an opportunistic feeder (Ref. 108779).

Main Ref.

Tavares, M., 2003

Remarks

Benthopelagic (Ref. 97531). Hatching occurs in mouths of estuaries and shallow marine waters, development of larvae progresses in the ocean, followed by migration of megalopae and young crabs back into estuarine waters to mature into adults (Ref. 367). Found on soft bottoms (Ref. 106866). Burrows in muddy-sand bottoms (Ref. 108781). Juveniles occur on seagrasses. Highly cannibalistic; adult conspecifics are observed attacking tethered juveniles (Ref. 106866). Appears to be an opportunistic feeder (Ref. 108779).

Aquatic zones / Water bodies

	Marine - Neritic	Marine - Oceanic	Brackishwater	Freshwater
Marine zones / Brackish and freshwater bodies	supra-littoral zone littoral zone sublittoral zone	epipelagic mesopelagic epipelagic abyssopelagic hadopelagic	estuaries/lagoons/brackish seas mangroves marshes/swamps	rivers/streams lakes/ponds caves exclusively in caves

Highighted items on the list are where Callinectes sapidus may be found.

Habitat

Substrate	Benthic: mobile; Pelagic; Soft Bottom: sand; mud;
Substrate Ref.	Tavares, M., 2003
Special habitats	Other habitats: burrows;
Special habitats Ref.	Orth, R.J. and J. Van Montfrans, 1987

Associations

Ref.	Harding, J.M., 2003
Associations	symbiosis;
Associated with	Atlantic oyster drill (Urosalpinx cinerea); thick lipped oyster drill (Eupleura caudata) (Ref. 87949).
Association remarks
Parasitism

feeding

Feeding type	plants/detritus+animals (troph. 2.2-2.79)
Feeding type Ref.	Seitz, R.D., K.E. Knick and M. Westphal, 2011
Feeding habit	hunting macrofauna (predator)
Feeding habit Ref.	McGaw, I.J. and C.L. Reiber, 2000

Trophic Level(s)

Estimation method	original sample		unfished population		Remark
Estimation method	Troph	s.e.	Troph	s.e.	Remark
From diet composition	4.00	0.64			Troph of juv./adults.
From individual food items	3.35	0.30			Trophic level estimated from a number of food items using a randomized resampling routine.
Ref.	Hsueh, P.-W., J.B. McClintock and T.S. Hopkins, 1992

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