Mass Molting of Tanner Crabs Chionoecetes bairdi in a Southeast Alaska Estuary
Stone RP. 1999. Mass Molting of Tanner Crabs Chionoecetes bairdi in a Southeast Alaska Estuary. Alaska Fishery Research Bulletin. 6(1):19-28
A spring migration of Tanner crabs Chionoecetes bairdi into a shallow, glacially-influenced cove to molt en masse was studied in 1992 and 1993. An estimated 11,500 crabs molted in a 0.034 km2 area of shallow (+0.6 m to -17.4 m) water in 1992. Over 2,400 carapaces from intact exuviae were collected by scuba divers in a 100 X 70 m section of the molting area. Molting in both years was restricted to a small area of the cove even though oceanographic conditions and habitat were similar throughout the cove. Crabs were 97% males and had probably molted within the previous year. Approximately 30% of the crabs would have recruited to the commercial fishery after this molt. Chelae measured from exuviae in spring 1993 indicated the migration consisted almost entirely of small-clawed crabs.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Stone, R
- Units
- GLBA , SITK
- Keywords
- Coastal/Marine Systems, Crab, Invertebrates (Insects Other), mass molting (crab), Tanner crab