The packet ship Manhattan sank with eight of her nine crew. In the same storm, the 200 ft schooner Powhattan was also lost nearby, with over 350 immigrants on board and no survivors. Neither wreck has been positively identified, although there are several candidates, including one old wooden hull buried up to the gunwales in the sand.
These crabs have the last pair of legs modified into paddles, with which they are remarkably fast and agile sideways swimmers. Apart from this, they retain the walking and burrowing abilities of other crabs. Swimming crabs are bad-tempered creatures that aggressively defend themselves. Large ones can pinch very painfully, so handle with care!
Callinectes sapidus
Profile by Bill Figley
and Ray Townsend
Size:
to 9" across
Range:
Cape Cod to Texas
Habitat:
Bays and estuaries, sometimes found in freshwater, spend their winters in the mud.
More: Swimming Crabs ...
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