| Habitat |
May have higher growth rate in estuary versus offshore (Stevens and Armstrong 1984, Armstrong and Gunderson 1985 both in Pauley et al. 1986)
Coastal water, bays, and estuaries (Emmett et al. 1991) |
| Substrate |
Rock, mud, or gravel
Prefer sand (Frey 1971, Karpov 1983, Rudy and Rudy 1983 all in Emmett et al. 1991)
Sandy-mud bottoms (adults)(Karpov 1982 in Pauley et al. 1986)
Eel grass, shell, or sand (juvenile)(Stevens and Armstrong 1984 in Pauley et al. 1986) |
| Depth range (meters) |
N/A |
| Behavior |
N/A |
| General Temperature Range (°C) |
15–16 (when 38.3 mm long and in estuary in October)
8.5–10 (when 18.9 mm long and offshore in November)
3–19 (normally found)
Tolerant of abrupt temperature and salinity change(Cleaver 1949 in Pauley et al. 1986)
Different optimal temperatures at different life stages:
12–16 (mating)
10–14 (larvae) (Des Voigne 1973 in Pauley et al. 1986)
+20 (cause mortality for juveniles and adults) (Wild 1983, Pauley et al. 1986 in Emmett et al. 1991) |
| General Salinity Range (ppt) |
Larvae are highly sensitive (Buchanan and Milleman 1969 in Pauley et al. 1986)
15 (optimum hatching salinity)
10–32 (normal range) (Buchanan and Milleman 1969 in Pauley et al. 1986)
25–30 (highest survival for larvae)
15 (poorest survival for larvae) (Reed 1969 in Pauley et al. 1986)
Small juveniles are more tolerant than adults (Stevens and Armstrong 1985 in Emmett et al. 1991) |
| Maximum Overall Recorded Size (cm) |
N/A |
| Maximum Recorded Size for Males (cm) |
N/A |
| Maximum Recorded Size for Females (cm) |
N/A |
| Average Maximum Overall Length (cm) |
N/A |
| Average Maximum Overall Length for Males (cm) |
21.8 (McKay 1942, Butler 1961b both in Pauley et al. 1986) |
| Average Maximum Overall Length for Females (cm) |
16.0 (McKay 1942, Butler 1961b both in Pauley et al. 1986) |
| Average Maximum weight (kg) |
N/A |
| Average Maximum weight for Males (cm) |
N/A |
| Average Maximum weight for Females (cm) |
N/A |
| Length When Harvested (cm) |
15.9+ (Williams 1979 in Pauley et al. 1986) |
| Weight When Harvested (kg) |
N/A |
| Overall Length to Age Ratio (cm/age in years) |
25.4/3–4 (Iversen and Hale 1992) |
| Male Length to Age Ratio (cm/age in years) |
N/A |
| Female Length to Age Ratio (cm/age in years) |
N/A |
| Overall Maximum Age (years) |
8–10 (Iversen and Hale 1992) |
| Maximum Age for Males (years) |
N/A |
| Maximum Age for Females (years) |
N/A |
| Age when Harvested (years) |
4 (Williams 1979 in Pauley et al. 1986)
3–4 (Iversen and Hale 1992)
3 (years after settling)
4 (most females are caught once they are this age) (Warner 1987, Smith and Jamieson 1989 both in Emmett et al. 1991) |
| Overall Growth Rate |
N/A |
| Male Growth Rate |
N/A |
| Female Growth Rate |
N/A |
| Overall Age at Maturity (years) |
Latitude driven (Pauley et al. 1986)
2 (Iversen and Hale 1992)
2 (Butler 1961b in Pauley et al. 1986)
4–5 (British Columbia) (MacKay and Weymouth 1935 in Pauley et al. 1986)
1 (San Francisco Bay) (Tasto 1983 in Pauley et al. 1986) |
| Male Age at Maturity (years) |
N/A |
| Female Age at Maturity (years) |
N/A |
| Overall Length at Maturity (cm) |
N/A |
| Male Length at Maturity (cm) |
11.6 (Butler 1961b in Pauley et al. 1986) |
| Female Length at Maturity (cm) |
10.0 (Butler 1961b in Pauley et al. 1986) |
| Maturity/Temperature Relationship |
N/A |
| Type of Reproduction |
Gonochoristic, oviparous, iteroparous (Emmett et al. 1991) |
| Fecundity |
3,000,000–5,000,000 (Iversen and Hale 1992)
1,000,000–2,000,000 (Wild 1983 in Pauley et al. 1986)
5,000,000 (in 3–4 broods of female life span) (MacKay 1942 in Pauley et al. 1986, Emmett et al. 1991)
Up to 2,500,000 (Wickham 1980 in Emmett et al. 1991) |
| Spawning Habitat |
N/A |
| Spawning Behavior |
Male finds female via pheromone (Knudsen 1964, Edward 1966, Hartnoll 1969 all in Pauley et al. 1986)
Male holds female for up to 7 days before molting (Snow and Neilsen 1966 in Pauley et al. 1986)
Male may then hold female for additional 2 days (Pauley et al. 1986)
Male may mate with more than one female (Emmett et al. 1991) |
| Time of Year of Spawning |
April–September (Iversen and Hale 1992)
March–September (Butler 1956, Poole and Gotshall 1965 both in Pauley et al. 1986)
March–June (Washington) (Cleaver 1949, Pauley et al. 1986 both in Emmett et al. 1991) |
| Number of Spawns per season |
N/A |
| Spawning/Temperature Relationship (°C) |
8–17 (normal range) (Pauley et al. 1986 in Emmett et al. 1991) |
| Spawning/Salinity Relationship |
N/A |
| Description of Eggs |
N/A |
| Habitat where Eggs are found |
Adhere to female (Emmett et al. 1991)
Released October–March off Oregon (Waldron 1958 in Emmett et al. 1991) |
| Days to Hatch |
N/A |
| Time of Year when Eggs Hatch |
December–April off Oregon (Reed 1969, Lough 1976 both in Pauley et al. 1986) |
| Temperature for Egg Survival (°C) |
10 (685,000 larvae hatched per egg mass)
16.7 (14,000 larvae hatched per egg mass) (Wild 1983 in Pauley et al. 1986)
Mortality rose when temperature rose from 10 to 12 (Mayer 1973 in Pauley et al. 1986)
Less than 10 (longer to hatch, lower hatch mortality rate) (Mayer 1973, Wild 1983 both in Emmett et al. 1991) |
| Salinity for Egg Survival (ppt) |
30–40 (when on female) (Emmett et al. 1991)
Hatch in wide range of salinities
Best survival in euhaline water (Pauley et al. 1986 in Emmett et al. 1991) |
| Predators on Eggs |
Nemertean worm (Carcinonemertes errans) eat yolk and defecate in eggs
May cause up to 55% mortality when worm density equals 14 per 1000 eggs (Wickham 1979a, 1979b in Pauley et al. 1986) |
| Habitat where Larvae are found |
Zoea–Planktonic
Megalopae–mostly Planktonic
When ready to molt–benthic (Emmett et al. 1991)
Surface at night
15–25 m depth during the day (Reilly 1983a, 1985 both in Emmett et al. 1991) |
| Days in Larval Stage |
N/A |
| Temperature for Larval Survival (°C) |
Temperature/salinity interaction affects larval survival (Emmett et al. 1991)
10–14 (best survival) (Reed 1969, Pauley et al. 1986 both in Emmett et al. 1991)
20 (does not change to megalopae)(Sulkin and McKee 1989 in Emmett et al. 1991)) |
| Salinity for Larval Survival (ppt) |
Initially euhaline (Lough 1976, Orcutt 1977, Reilly 1983a all in Emmett et al. 1991)
Highly sensitive to change (Buchanan and Milleman 1969, Lough 1976, Reilly 1983a in Emmett et al. 1991)
25–30 (best survival) (Reed 1969, Pauly et al. 1986 both in Emmett et al. 1991) |
| Larval Food Preference |
Zooplankton (mostly), Phytoplankton (Lough 1976 in Pauley et al. 1986) |
| Habitat where Juveniles are found |
Epibenthic (Emmett et al. 1991)
Coastal and estuary (Butler 1956, Orcutt et al. 1975, Stevens and Armstrong 1984, 1985 both in Emmett et al. 1991) |
| Length when Juvenile Settles out (cm) |
N/A |
| Temperature for Juvenile Survival (°C) |
N/A |
| Salinity for Juvenile Survival (ppt) |
N/A |
| Where and When Juvenile Feeds |
N/A |
| Juvenile Food Preference |
First year—eat Small crustacean, Mollusks
Second year—eat Fish and Shrimp (Butler 1954, Gotshall 1977, Stevens 1982 all in Pauley et al. 1986)
Cannibalistic, especially when less than 6.0 cm
Will feed on smaller individuals in same year class when molting (Stevens 1982, Stevens et al. 1982 both in Pauley et al. 1986)
Individuals that are 6.1–10 cm eat Shrimp (Crangon species) (Emmett et al. 1991) |
| Habitat where Adults are found (depth in meters) |
Epibenthic (Emmett et al. 1991)
Mainly intertidal, marine
Some lower estuary (Emmett et al. 1991) |
| Temperature for Adult Survival (°C) |
N/A |
| Salinity for Adult Survival (ppt) |
N/A |
| Adult Feeding Type |
N/A |
| Adult Food Preference |
Mollusks (Oysters and Cockles), small Fish, Cannibalistic (Iversen and Hale 1992)
Clams most important food when individuals are under 15.1 cm also Crustaceans, Fish (Gotshall 1977 in Pauley et al. 1986)
Adults are often cannibalistic (Stevens 1982 in Pauley et al. 1986)
Generally
1 year olds eat Bivalves
2 years old eat Shrimp
3 years old eat Fish (Stevens et al. 1982 in Emmett et al. 1991) |
| Food Eaten in Laboratory Setting |
N/A |
| Amount of Food Eaten in Laboratory Setting |
N/A |
| Additional Laboratory Findings |
When held for 8 months:
Mortality is:
17% at 10°C
58% at 13°C
80% at 17°C (Wild 1983 in Pauley et al. 1986) |
| Environmental Considerations |
Dredging may cause, "…population to be seriously reduced…(Pauley et al. 1986)"
Salinity not as important as temperature (Pauley et al. 1986) |
| Commercial Fishery |
Landings are cyclical in pattern (Pauley et al. 1986)
Part of crab population decline may be from hatchery released coho salmon (Reilly 1983b in Pauley et al. 1986) |
| Market |
Important (Emmett et al. 1991) |
| Sold Fresh or Frozen |
Fresh and Frozen (Emmett et al. 1991) |
| Style Species is Sold |
Whole
Vacuum–packed cans (Emmett et al. 1991) |
| Additional Use of the Species |
N/A |
| Shelf-life in Fresh State (days at 40°F) |
N/A |
| Shelf-life in Frozen State (months at 0°F) |
N/A |
| Shelf-life Canned (months) |
N/A |
| Weight sold in Oregon (kg) |
N/A |
| Ornamental Market |
N/A |
| Parasites or Disease |
Eggs mainly parasitized by Fungi and Nemerteans
Also Protozoans, Trematodes, Annelids (Iversen and Hale 1992) |
| Additional Remarks |
N/A |
| Location where Species has been Researched/Farmed |
Humbolt State University (Iversen and Hale 1992) |
| Appropriate Aquaculture Systems |
N/A |
