Florida stone crab famous for sustainable claw harvesting.

Also called: Stone Crab, Florida Stone Crab

Native status: Native; sustainably managed fishery

§ Quick facts

SizeCarapace 7–13 cm (3–5 in); claws can reach 30 cm
Weight100–800 g
LifespanWild 7–10 years
OrderDecapoda
FamilyMenippidae

§ Encyclopedia

The Florida stone crab is a crab found in the western North Atlantic, from Connecticut to Colombia, including Texas, the Gulf of Mexico, Belize, Mexico, Jamaica, Cuba, the Bahamas, and the East Coast of the United States. The crab can also be found in and around the salt marshes of South Carolina and Georgia. The closely related species Menippe adina, the gulf stone crab, is sometimes considered a subspecies as they can interbreed to form hybrids, and they are treated as one species for commercial fishing, with their ranges partly overlapping. The two species are believed to have diverged approximately 3 million years ago. The species is widely caught for food.

Source: Wikipedia — Florida stone crab Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

§ Identification

Field marks. Stocky, hard-shelled crab with unequal claws (one massive "crusher" claw, one smaller "pincher"); brown-purple body; black-tipped claws with cream interiors. Found in burrows on intertidal mudflats and along rocky shorelines.

Similar species. Atlantic Stone Crab (different range edge). Blue Crab (swimming paddles vs. walking legs). Mud Crabs (much smaller).

Voice. N/A

§ Diet & behavior

Diet. Oysters, clams, mussels (crushes shells with massive claws); also fish, snails, marine worms.

Behavior. Among the most unusual seafood fisheries: only the claws are harvested. Florida law mandates returning the live crab to the water after removing one claw; the claw regenerates over 12–18 months. Approximately 25% of declawed crabs die from the stress of removal — a controversial figure that has driven research into more humane harvest methods. The Florida stone crab fishery brings in $30M+ annually.

§ Range

Atlantic and Gulf coasts

§ Habitat

Coastal waters

§ Threats

Overharvest of claws.

§ Conservation status

According to the IUCN Red List, the stone crab (florida) is currently classified as Least Concern.

§ What helps

Buy responsibly harvested stone crab.

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§ Further reading

§ Sources cited

  • Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
  • NOAA Fisheries
  • Mote Marine Laboratory