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Callinectes larvatus, Masked swimcrab : fisheries

Common name (e.g. turtle)

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Callinectes larvatus   Ordway, 1863

Masked swimcrab

Native range | All suitable habitat | Point map | Year 2050
This map was computer-generated and has not yet been reviewed.
Callinectes larvatus  AquaMaps  Data sources: GBIF OBIS
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Image of Callinectes larvatus (Masked swimcrab)
No image available for this species;
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 - 25 m (Ref. 97531), usually 0 - 5 m.  Tropical

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Introductions

Western Atlantic: USA to Brazil.

Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm Max length : 14.2 cm WD male/unsexed; (Ref. 367); 9.5 cm WD (female)

Short description Morphology

Carapace slightly more than twice as broad as long; 9 teeth on arched anterolateral margin (outer orbital tooth and strong lateral spine included), second to eighth usually trending forward, without shoulders, anterior margins concave except first 2; front (excluding outer orbital angles) bearing 4 teeth, inner pair small but definitely formed. Anterior half of convex dorsal surface coarsely granulate, variably finer and more numerous granules on posterior on posterior part and in transverse lines; central trapezoidal (metagastric) area short and wide (anterior width about 2.4 times, posterior width about 1.5 times length). Pincers dissimilar, ridged longitudinally, fingers compressed but broadened dorsoventrally producing pointed spatulate shape; fifth legs flattened in form fifth legs flattened in form of paddles. Male with T-shaped abdomen reaching slightly beyond suture between thoracic sternites 4 and 5, sixth segment nearly parallel-sided but broadened proximally; first pleopods short, reaching about midlength of sternite 7, approximately each other or occasionally overlapping at level of abrupt curve beyond which short terminal part tapers to rather sharp tip; armed with minute scattered retrogressive spinules distally. Color: carapace brown with areas of bluish black. Chelae brown above; fingers dark on external face except for tips and proximal portion, internal face dark in distal 2/3; dark color of fingers retained in preservation.

Biology     Glossary (e.g. epibenthic)

Benthopelagic (Ref. 97531). Inhabits a variety of shallow environments to depths seldom exceeding 15 m, usually 5 m or less; found often in intertidal pools, on sand and muddy flats, algae and grass flats, sand beaches, rocky pools, eroded coral bases, oyster bars, shallows at edges of mangroves, and at the surface under light at night. Feeds on mollusks, other bottom invertebrates, and fishes, carrion and detritus (Ref. 367),

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: Version 2024-2)

  Not Evaluated 

CITES status (Ref. 108899)

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

Human uses

Fisheries: minor commercial
| FishSource |

Tools

E-book | Field guide

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Trophic Ecology
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Food consumption
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Ecology
Ecology
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Max. ages / sizes
Length-weight rel.
Length-length rel.
Length-frequencies
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Abundance
Life cycle
Reproduction
Maturity
Fecundity
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Eggs
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Larvae
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References

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): 26.3 - 28.2, mean 27.4 (based on 546 cells).
Vulnerability (Ref. 71543): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).
Price category (Ref. 80766): Very high.

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