Jonah Crab Size report
Many people confuse Jonah crabs with bread crabs in seafood markets. Jonah crabs are similar in appearance to bread crabs but have sweeter meat. Like Dungeness crabs, only male Jonah crabs are caught and sold by the fishery. The Jonah crab (Cancer borealis) is a sea crab that inhabits the east coast of North America, from Newfoundland, Canada, to the coastal shelf of Florida, USA.
Therefore, although it is similar in shape to the bread crab, the biggest difference is that the Jonah crabs in the market are males. Unlike Dungeness and Jonah crabs, bread crabs are available in both live and frozen forms, and all bread crabs are females. Jonah crabs were caught as an incidental catch of the North American lobster.
Jonah crabs, also known as Dungeness crabs, are tiny and less fleshy. Jonah crab tastes very similar to Dungeness crab, only sweeter. The edible parts of Dungeness crab are mainly whole crabs and crab meat; the key products of Jonah Crab are crab claws and crab meat. The following post introduces more interesting facts about Jonah crabs.
Jonah Crab Size and Appearance
Jonah crabs (Cancer borealis) have rounded carapaces with serrated edges. The claws are thick, especially the tips of the claws are dark brown or black silk, similar to the bread crabs from Britain, Ireland, and other countries. Look for it in rocky substrates in the deep waters of the western North Atlantic rather than the tidal zones favored by other crabs of similar size. A member of the Cancer family, the Jonah crab is characterized by tiny white spots on its round and rough-edged carapace. Its strong claws are dark brown at the tips and have a small belly folded under the ribcage and pincers.
The main growing areas of Jonah crab are Massachusetts and Rhode Island, and the peak fishing season is from January to March. There is currently little biological data on the growth, death, and reproduction of Jonah crabs. Most of the Jonah crabs caught are males, and more research is underway.
Average Size of Jonah Crab
The Jonah crab is a medium-sized crab with a flat but broad carapace. Male Jonah crabs are much larger than females. Generally, the carapace width of male crabs can reach up to 22 centimeters, while that of female crabs does not exceed 15 centimeters. The average weight of Jonah crabs is 0.3-0.5 kilogram. The typical lifespan of the Jonah Crab is between 1-5 years.
Quick Facts | |
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Scientific name | Cancer borealis |
Carapace Width | 15-22 cm |
Average Weight | 0.3-0.5 kg |
Lifespan | 1-5 years |
Living Habits And Diet
The ideal water temperature range for Jonah crabs is between 8-12°C (46-54°F), and they prefer to live in rocky areas near the coastline and silty clay bottoms offshore. Jonah crabs land year-round offshore and along the coast. Like lobsters, Jonah crabs also molt. During the spring and fall, crabs shed their old shells and grow new ones. In summer and early autumn, the Jona crab migrates to the sea, so the best season for Jona crab fishing is from December to April. Jonah crabs feed on mussels, arthropods, snails, lobsters, and bait-finned fish.
Conclusion
Jonah crabs are similar to the breadcrumbs and edible crabs produced in the North Sea of Europe in terms of body structure and meat quality. Jonah crabs are more expensive than bread and edible crabs in certain months, but there are more ways to eat Jonah crab claws. Jonah crab meat is whiter than other edible crabs. Jonah crab is rich in protein and several key nutrients, including zinc and omega-3 fatty acids. Compared with Dungeness crab or stone crab, Jonah crab is more affordable, which is one of the reasons why Jonah crab has become popular in recent years.