European green crabs (
Carcinus maenas) are the most common crab found on the shores in our local area. However, they are an invasive species that originally came to North America from Europe in the 1800s. They are an aggressive and territorial crab that is able to withstand long periods out of water and changes in salinity. Green crabs are omnivores that can eat clams, mussels, other crabs, fish, dead plant and animal debris, and it has been shown that they can learn to prey on new food items.
Here at the Huntsman we have been monitoring the local green crab population with the help of students taking part in our field courses.
Data such as size and gender are gathered.
The below video shows a green crab eating herring in a tank in our teaching lab. Note the claws are used to hold the food and move it closer to the mouth where the specialized mouth parts process the food.
No comments:
Post a Comment