Advice from a Crab

Crabs are crustaceans that can be found in oceans, rivers and even on land.  They belong to the same group of marine arthropods as do lobsters, shrimp and krill.  Crabs are known for their hard shells which protect them from predators.  

Crabs have five pairs of legs. They can walk in all directions, but mostly move sideways, walking on four pairs of legs while holding their two legs with claws away from their body. 

Female crabs can release 1000 to 2000 eggs at one time.  The average lifespan of a small crab is 3 to 5 years, but larger species can live longer.  Some species live up to 30 years and the giant Japanese spider crab can live as long as 100 years.

Crabs are found in a wide range of habitats.  Some live in the deep sea while others live in intertidal zones. The hermit crab can adapt to different environments by using shells or other materials to protect their soft bodies.  The mud crab will burrow into the sediment to hide from predators. Blue crabs can survive out of water for long periods of time as long as their gills are kept moist.  When they are out of water, crabs will look for dark, cool, moist places to hide from predators and to help prevent their gills from drying out.

Crabs will consume a wide range of prey. They eat mollusks, worms, and other crustaceans.  The blue crabs are known to scavenge for dead fish and other animals. Crabs are a valuable food source for many larger animals too. Fish, birds, and sea otters like to eat crabs. 

Humans like to consume crab meat too.  Crab fisheries are a source of income for many coastal communities.  The most popular species are the blue crab, Dungeness crab, and king crab. 

Crab meat is rich in vitamins and minerals.  It is low in fat and contains Omega-3 acids.  Eating crab meat helps provide protection from heart disease and aids in brain development. Crab meat may be lower in mercury than other kinds of seafood, but it can still be a concern depending on how it is caught and prepared.  

Overfishing and habitat destruction have led to declines in crab populations in many areas.

Here are the sayings I found on the bookmark called Advice from a Crab.

• Don’t Be Shellfish

• Hold Fast to Your Dreams

• Always Keep Growing

• Stay Calm in a Pinch

• Be a Good Catch

• Choose Your Direction Wisely

• Sea Life’s Beauty!

Here are my comments on each of these sayings.

• Don’t Be Shellfish - Love the pun!  Shellfish instead of selfish.  Be kind and serve others.  Provide value to others. 

• Hold Fast to Your Dreams - Don’t give up on your goals.  Keep moving forward to reach your dreams.

• Always Keep Growing - Be open to learning new things and skills. 

• Stay Calm in a Pinch - When things don’t go as planned, stay calm.  Remain calm in an emergency or a difficult situation.

• Be a Good Catch - Be excellent.  Have a lot of good qualities.  Be someone others would love to partner with.

• Choose Your Direction Wisely - Goals give us direction.  Make wise choices.

• Sea Life’s Beauty! - See the beauty in every situation. 

Have a great day everyone.  Hold Fast to Your Dreams and Stay Calm in a Pinch.

# living life abundantly  # published author  # travelling tuesdays