Blue Swimming Crab (Portunus Pelagicus)

The blue swimming crab is a huge crab which can be found in estuaries around Australia and New Caledonia. All over the world, it has been given multiple names like flower crab, blue crab, blue swimmer crab, blue manna crab or sand crab. Males of this species are blue in colour and have white spots on its body. The females, on the other hand, have a dull brown or green colour and are identified due to their round carapace.

During the winter and in day time you would find the blue crab buried under the sand. When its high tides they may come out to feed upon bivalves, fish and macroalgae. They are considered to be excellent swimmers and their flattened legs look like paddles. But they are unable to survive out of the water for very long periods of time.

Found largely in the Indopacific region it is eaten widely in the region. It is one of the high prized species and its meat has a sweet taste to it. In the Persian Gulf, the species is cultivated for meat consumption and the females are considered a better option. The blue crab is also fished in Australia and available to the regular fishers. During the rainy season, the Juveniles migrate from estuaries to the seawater.