#crabbing

Hello everyone! I apologize for the long time it took for me to upload this next crab of the day. I have not been fronting properly for a while! However, now I am here. It is also February, which is my favorite month because of Valentine's Day! Valentine's Day is pink, like my hair, so I like it!

Today's crab of the day is the Dungeness crab (Metacarcinus magister). They range from 5-10 inches across (one end of the carapace to the other) in size. They live along coastlines, bays, and estuaries of the Pacific Ocean, ranging from Alaska to Mexico. Their name originates from the town of Dungeness in the state of Washington.

Dungeness crabs are popular for eating. In the United States, each state has a different minimum size limit for catching Dungeness crabs. Dungeness crabs can be identified by their large carapaces in contrast with their small limbs. Their shells have a muddy, purplish hue when uncooked but turn red when steamed. Like other crabs, they have to shed their shells yearly to accommodate growth (molting). Similarly, like other crabs, they aren't picky about what to eat; they eat pretty much anything in the ocean that is smaller than them (worms, mussels, tiny crabs, etc).

Here is an image of this beautiful specimen. Look how tiny its arms are!

- 🦀

Headed out to check crab traps and do a little fishing. Golf Islands, British Columbia