Head to head
Common Shore Crab vs Blue Crab
Common Shore Crab
VS Blue Crab
The common shore crab of Europe and the blue crab of the Americas are two adaptable, omnivorous crabs of estuaries and shores that tolerate wide ranges of salinity.
| Common Shore Crab | Blue Crab | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Carcinus maenas | Callinectes sapidus |
| Look | A greenish-brown shell, often with paler mottling, with five spines on each side towards the eyes | Blue-tinged claws and legs, especially in males, and rear legs flattened into paddles for swimming |
| Diet | An omnivore eating mussels, clams, worms, small crustaceans, seaweed, and carrion | An omnivore eating fish, molluscs, plant material, and detritus, and occasionally other blue crabs |
| Habitat | Rock pools, saltmarshes, and estuaries, tolerating wide changes in salinity and temperature | Coastal and estuarine waters, from nearly fresh water to full seawater |
| Range | Native to the northeast Atlantic and the Baltic, and introduced to North America, South Africa, Australia, and Japan | Native to the Atlantic coast of the Americas and the Gulf of Mexico |
| Movement | Larvae drift in the plankton for weeks, letting the species spread over long distances | Makes seasonal movements within estuaries, with mating and larval release at different places |
| Human importance | A global invader that harms native shellfish and eelgrass beds | Supports a major commercial and recreational fishery, especially around Chesapeake Bay |
| Conservation status | Not Evaluated globally, abundant at home and invasive elsewhere | Least Concern |
Common Shore Crab vs Blue Crab: common questions
Which crab swims?
The blue crab, whose rearmost legs are flattened into broad paddles for swimming through open water.
Which one is an invader?
The common shore crab, which has been carried in ships and with shellfish to other continents.
Where is the blue crab fishery?
The blue crab supports a major fishery along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States, especially around Chesapeake Bay.