# Portunus pelagicus

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Portunus_pelagicus
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Portunus_pelagicus.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portunus_pelagicus
> Source revision: 1306455540
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

Species of crab

Portunus pelagicus Male Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Clade: Pancrustacea Class: Malacostraca Order: Decapoda Suborder: Pleocyemata Infraorder: Brachyura Family: Portunidae Genus: Portunus Species: P. pelagicus Binomial name Portunus pelagicus (Linnaeus, 1758) Synonyms Cancer pelagicus Linnaeus, 1758

***Portunus pelagicus***, also known as the **blue crab**, **blue swimmer crab**, **blue manna crab** and **flower crab** is a species of large [crab](/source/Crab) found in the [Indo-Pacific](/source/Indo-Pacific), including off the coasts of Indonesia,[1] Malaysia,[2] Cambodia,[3] Thailand,[4] the Philippines,[5] and Vietnam;[6] and in the intertidal [estuaries](/source/Estuary) around most of Australia and east to [New Caledonia](/source/New_Caledonia).[7]

## Description

The males are bright blue in color with white spots and with characteristically long [chelipeds](/source/Cheliped), while the females have a duller green/brown, with a more rounded [carapace](/source/Carapace). The carapace can be up to 20 centimetres (7.9 in) wide.

## Behaviour

*Portunus pelagicus* feeding, [Qatif](/source/Qatif), Saudi Arabia.

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](/source/Ammonium) (NH4+) and [ammonia](/source/Ammonia) (NH3).[8] They come out to feed during high tide on various organisms such as bivalves, fish and, to a lesser extent, macroalgae. They are excellent swimmers, largely due to a pair of flattened legs that resemble paddles. However, in contrast to another portunid crab (*[Scylla serrata](/source/Scylla_serrata)*), they cannot survive for long periods out of the water.

## Capture

Global capture production of *Portunus pelagicus* in thousand tonnes from 1965 to 2022, as reported by the [FAO](/source/Food_and_Agriculture_Organization)[9]

The species is commercially important throughout the Indo-Pacific, where they may be sold as traditional hard shells, or as "[soft-shelled](/source/Soft-shell_crab)" crabs, which are considered a delicacy throughout Asia. The species is highly prized as a substitute for *[Callinectes sapidus](/source/Callinectes_sapidus)*. This species is fished heavily and almost exclusively for meat consumption in the Persian Gulf, with the females sold at higher prices than males.

These characteristics, along with their fast growth, ease of larviculture, high fecundity, and relatively high tolerance to both [nitrate](/source/Nitrate)[10][11] and [ammonia](/source/Ammonia),[8] (particularly [ammoniacal nitrogen](/source/Ammoniacal_nitrogen), NH3–N, which is typically more toxic than ammonium, as it can more easily diffuse across the gill membranes), makes this species ideal for aquaculture.

The species is commercially fished in Australia, and is also available to recreational fishers and is regulated by various state governments. Relevant recreational fishing regulations for Australia (as of March 2016) are tabled below.

State Minimum carapace Bag limit Boat limit Possession Limit Notes South Australia 11 cm 20 (Gulf St Vincent) or 40 (combined with sand crabs) 60 (Gulf St Vincent) or 120 (combined with sand crabs) N/A [12] New South Wales 6 cm 10 N/A 20 [13] Western Australia 12.7 cm 20 or 10 (West Coast) 40 or 20 (West Coast) N/A Cockburn Sound is closed. Peel-Harvey Estuary is closed from 1 September to 31 October.[14][15] Queensland 11.5 cm No limit No limit No limit [16] Northern Territory N/A N/A N/A 30 Combined total for any crab species other than mud crabs.[17]

## Ecology

Male *Portunus pelagicus* can be [territorial](/source/Territoriality).

*P. pelagicus* commonly enters estuaries for food and shelter. Its [life cycle](/source/Biological_life_cycle) is dependent on estuaries as the [larvae](/source/Larva) and early juveniles use these habitats for growth and development. Prior to hatching, the female moves into shallow marine habitats, releases her eggs, and the newly-hatched [zoea I larvae](/source/Zoea) move into estuaries. During this time, they feed on microscopic plankton and progress from the zoea I stage to the zoea IV stage (approximately 8 days) and then to the final larval stage of [megalopa](/source/Megalopa) (duration of 4–6 days). This larval stage is characterised by having large chelipeds used to catch prey. Once the megalopa metamorphoses to the crab stage, they continue to spend time in estuaries which provides a suitable habitat for shelter and food. However, evidence has shown that early juveniles cannot tolerate low salinities for extended periods, which is likely due to its weak hyper-osmoregulatory abilities.[18] This may explain their mass emigration from estuaries to seawater during the rainy season. Male *Portunus pelagicus* are believed to become more territorial in colder water. This may explain why male crabs are rarely sighted within a close proximity to each other in more temperate waters; it also may explain why their female counterparts seem more prolific in these areas.

## Cultural Significance

The movement of this species of crab is the basis for the dance steps and movements of the *Linambay*, a variation of the *[Moro-moro](/source/Moros_y_cristianos)* that originates from [Carcar](/source/Carcar), [Cebu](/source/Cebu), in the Philippines, where the crab is called "Lambay".

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["FishSource - Blue swimming crab - Java Sea"](https://www.fishsource.org/stock_page/742).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Saving flower crabs for future generations"](https://www.thestar.com.my/metro/metro-news/2022/01/24/saving-ower-crabs-for-future-generations). *The Star*. Retrieved 2023-06-12.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Enhancing sustainable management of the blue swimming crab fisheries in Cambodia"](http://www.seafdec.org/enhancing-sustainable-management-blue-swimming-crab-fisheries-cambodia/).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Thai Blue Swimming Crab Fishery Improvement Project - a pathway to sustaining marine environment"](https://wwf.panda.org/wwf_news/?228130/Thai-Blue-Swimming-Crab-Fishery-Improvement-Project---a-pathway-to-sustaining-marine-environments-and-local-livelihoods).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Wild-caught blue swimming crab in the Philippines"](https://www.seafoodwatch.org/our-projects/wild-caught-crab-in-philippines#:~:text=The%20Philippines%20is%20the%20fourth,alternative%20to%20other%20crab%20products.). *[Monterey Bay Aquarium](/source/Monterey_Bay_Aquarium) Seafood Watch*. Retrieved December 22, 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Research paper: Study of the impact of intermediaries on environmental and social outcomes and worker vulnerability in small-scale fishing and aquaculture in Indonesia and Viet Nam"](https://www.ilo.org/jakarta/whatwedo/publications/WCMS_775003/lang--en/index.htm). 9 March 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Lai, Joelle C Y; Ng, Peter K L; Davie, Peter J F (2010). ["A revision of the Portunus pelagicus (Linnaeus, 1758) species complex (Crustacea: Brachyura: Portunidae), with the recognition of four species"](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228663959). *The Raffles Bulletin of Zoology*. **58** (2): 199–237. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0217-2445](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0217-2445).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-RomanoZeng07_8-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-RomanoZeng07_8-1) Nicholas Romano & Chaoshu Zeng (2007). "Ontogenetic changes in tolerance to acute ammonia exposure and associated histological alterations of the gill structure through the early juvenile development of the blue swimmer crab, *Portunus pelagicus*". *[Aquaculture](/source/Aquaculture_(journal))*. **266**: 246–254. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1016/j.aquaculture.2007.01.035](https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.aquaculture.2007.01.035).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Fisheries and Aquaculture - Global Production"](https://www.fao.org/fishery/en/collection/global_production?lang=en). *Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)*. Retrieved 2024-05-06.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** Nicholas Romano & Chaoshu Zeng (2007). "Acute toxicity of sodium nitrate, potassium nitrate and potassium chloride and their effects on the hemolymph composition and gill structure of early juvenile blue swimmer crabs (*Portunus pelagicus* Linnaeus, 1758) (Decapoda, Brachyura, Portunidae)". *[Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry](/source/Environmental_Toxicology_and_Chemistry)*. **26** (9): 1955–1962. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1897/07-144R.1](https://doi.org/10.1897%2F07-144R.1). [PMID](/source/PMID_(identifier)) [17705664](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17705664). [S2CID](/source/S2CID_(identifier)) [19854591](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:19854591).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** Nicholas Romano & Chaoshu Zeng (2007). "Effects of potassium on nitrate mediated changes to osmoregulation in marine crabs". *[Aquatic Toxicology](/source/Aquatic_Toxicology)*. **85** (3): 202–208. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1016/j.aquatox.2007.09.004](https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.aquatox.2007.09.004). [PMID](/source/PMID_(identifier)) [17942166](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17942166).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** ["Blue Swimmer Crab"](http://pir.sa.gov.au/fishing/fishing_limits/blue_swimmer_crab). *pir.sa.gov.au*. Department of Primary Industries and Regions, South Australia. Retrieved 2016-03-19.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** ["Bag and size limits - saltwater - NSW Department of Primary Industries"](http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fisheries/recreational/regulations/sw/sw-bag-and-size). *www.dpi.nsw.gov.au*. Retrieved 2016-03-19.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** ["Recreational fishing guide 2015"](http://www.fish.wa.gov.au/documents/recreational_fishing/rec_fishing_guide/rules_guide_statewide.pdf) (PDF).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** ["Blue swimmer crab recreational fishing"](http://www.fish.wa.gov.au/Species/Blue-Swimmer-Crabs/Pages/Blue-Swimmer-Crab-Recreational-Fishing.aspx). *www.fish.wa.gov.au*. Retrieved 2016-03-19.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** ["Size, take and possession limits for tidal waters"](https://www.daf.qld.gov.au/fisheries/recreational/rules-regulations/size-possession-limits-tidal). *www.daf.qld.gov.au*. Retrieved 2016-03-19.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-17)** ["Archived copy"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160307041525/http://www.nt.gov.au/d/Fisheries/Content/File/recreational/know-your-limits-booklet.pdf) (PDF). Archived from [the original](http://www.nt.gov.au/d/Fisheries/Content/File/recreational/know-your-limits-booklet.pdf) (PDF) on 2016-03-07. Retrieved 2016-03-20.{{[cite web](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_web)}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_archived_copy_as_title))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-18)** Nicholas Romano & Chaoshu Zeng (2006). "The effects of salinity on the survival, growth and haemolymph osmolality of early juvenile blue swimmer crab, *Portunus pelagicus*". *[Aquaculture](/source/Aquaculture_(journal))*. **260** (1–4): 151–162. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1016/j.aquaculture.2006.06.019](https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.aquaculture.2006.06.019).

## External links

- [Fisheries Western Australia - Blue Swimmer Crab Fact Sheet](http://www.fish.wa.gov.au/Documents/recreational_fishing/fact_sheets/fact_sheet_blue_swimmer.pdf)

- ["Flower crabs, *Portunus pelagicus*"](http://www.wildsingapore.com/chekjawa/text/g321.htm). *Online guide to Check Jawa*. wildsingapore.com. 2003.

- Leo W. H. Tan & Peter K. L. Ng (1988). ["Flower crabs, *Portunus pelagicus*"](http://mangrove.nus.edu.sg/pub/seashore/text/202.htm). *Seashore Life in Singapore*.

- Photos of [Portunus pelagicus](https://sealifecollection.org/taxon/1061754) in the Sealife Collection

v t e Edible crustaceans Shrimp/ prawns Acetes Crangon crangon Cryphiops caementarius Dried shrimp Indian prawn Litopenaeus setiferus Macrobrachium rosenbergii Palaemon serratus Pandalus borealis Penaeus esculentus Penaeus monodon Processa edulis Shrimp paste Whiteleg shrimp Xiphopenaeus kroyeri Lobsters (incl. slipper & spiny) American lobster Arctides guineensis California spiny lobster Homarus gammarus Ibacus peronii Japanese spiny lobster Jasus Jasus edwardsii Jasus lalandii Metanephrops challengeri Thenus orientalis Nephrops norvegicus Palinurus elephas Panulirus argus Panulirus cygnus Panulirus echinatus Panulirus guttatus Panulirus homarus Panulirus longipes Panulirus ornatus Panulirus pascuensis Panulirus penicillatus Panulirus versicolor Parribacus japonicus Sagmariasus Scyllarides herklotsii Scyllarides latus Scyllarus arctus Thymops birsteini Tristan rock lobster Crabs Callinectes sapidus Callinectes similis Cancer irroratus Cancer bellianus Cancer pagurus Cancer productus Chaceon fenneri Chaceon quinquedens Chinese mitten crab Chionoecetes Coconut crab Dungeness crab Florida stone crab Gecarcinus ruricola Horsehair crab Hypothalassia acerba Jonah crab King crab Maja squinado Menippe adina Orithyia sinica Ovalipes australiensis Ovalipes catharus Pie crust crab Portunus pelagicus Portunus trituberculatus Ranina ranina Scylla paramamosain Scylla serrata Soft-shell crab Tasmanian giant crab Crayfish Acocil Astacus astacus Marron Cherax Paranephrops Procambarus clarkii Orconectes virilis Signal crayfish Others Austromegabalanus psittacus Goose barnacle Krill Langostino Mantis shrimp Squat lobster Thalassina Category

Taxon identifiers Portunus pelagicus Wikidata: Q2364966 Wikispecies: Portunus pelagicus AFD: Portunus_pelagicus BioLib: 84583 BOLD: 8490 CoL: 4M2P9 EoL: 343654 EUNIS: 27404 GBIF: 5178585 iNaturalist: 127703 IRMNG: 10452697 ITIS: 199965 NCBI: 80836 NZOR: e8486f8d-327b-4d5c-b41d-da6ff6c128b0 OBIS: 1061754 Open Tree of Life: 599991 Paleobiology Database: 225009 SeaLifeBase: 9329 TaiCOL: t0032094 WoRMS: 107404 Cancer pelagicus Wikidata: Q109653932 CoL: 5WY3G GBIF: 7488967

Authority control databases National United States Israel Other Yale LUX

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Portunus pelagicus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portunus_pelagicus) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portunus_pelagicus?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.