How Long Do Crabs Live? Marine Lifespans Revealed For Kids

Crabs are decapod crustaceans belonging to the Brachyura infra order, with a very small extending 'tail' that is generally concealed fully beneath their abdomens.

They have a fixed number of pincers and reside in all of the world's oceans, freshwater habitats, and on Earth. They have a tough outer exoskeleton and a single pair of pincers.

Many crustaceans with similar appearances, including king crabs and porcelain crabs, are not actually crabs but have developed traits that are identical to true crabs through carcinization. Carcinization is a convergent evolutionary process in which a crustacean develops from a non-crab-like shape to a crab-like species. Most scientists assume that king crabs descended from hermit crabs. Porcelain crabs have been linked to squat lobsters as well as hermit crabs and look like crabs. Crabs have a tough outer exoskeleton mostly made of mineral chitin and a pair of claws.

Crabs range in size from the pea crab, which is 0.47 in (12mm) long, to the Japanese spider crab, which has a total length of up to 13 ft (3.96m). Small Crabs can be found in all of the world's oceans, as well as aquatic vegetation and on land, especially in tropical areas. Freshwater crabs come in 850 different species. They molt and their small old shell is weakened and partially eroded away in preparation during molting. While beneath it, the primitive foundations of a new shell develop. A crab draws in a lot of water during molting in an effort to grow and break open the molt of the old shell at a vulnerable spot.

A crab is incredibly soft when breaking free from its old exuvia shell and burrows while its new shell hardens. A crab head can stretch the new shell whilst it's still soft to create room for future development. Crabs move sideways due to the mobility of their legs. Their legs allow for a more effective sidelong stride.

After reading about a crab's lifespan, do check how long do hermit crabs live and how many legs do crabs have?

Different Types Of Crabs And Their Lifespans

There are many different crab species, and each of them has a different average lifespan. The lifespan of these wild creatures can be affected by external factors, such as if they are eaten by predator animals or caught by humans first. A ghost crab has a three-year lifespan on average. Females transport developing eggs beneath their bodies before releasing them into the water, where larvae develop.

The Portunidae population showed a unimodal size-frequency distribution, and their lifespan was calculated to be approximately one year. A significant catch for any fisherman is the Japanese spider crab. It is the largest crab, with a leg span of 13 ft (4.0 m) and an average weight of roughly 40 lb (18.1 kg). It may also have the greatest longevity of any crab, living to the age of 100. Fiddler crabs have a lifespan of up to one and a half years. Gecarcinidae, or land crabs, are a family of true crabs that have evolved to live on land. Adult lifespans of at least 10 years have been reported anecdotally by keepers.

Lybia Edmondson is an indigenous Hawaiian Islands species of tiny crab in the Xanthidae genus. These wild animals have a five-year lifetime on average. A female blue crab has a lifespan of typically one to two years, and a male's lifespan is one to three years; nevertheless, crabs aged five to eight years were found in some investigations.

How long do crabs live out of water?

Blue crabs breathe through their gills like most aquatic animals. Blue crabs can exist out of water for extended periods of time, even up to 24 hours, as long as their gills are kept damp.

Crabs typically seek dark, cool, damp locations when they are not in water to keep their gills from drying up and to shelter from enemies. Crabs have movable plates surrounding their gills as well. These movable plates assist in shutting off their gills and keeping them hydrated. The duration of time a crab can remain out of water varies depending on the species. Certain crabs, such as coconut crabs and land hermit crabs, are land-based and can survive without water, although their gills must first be kept damp.

These crabs can spend their entire lives out of the water for a long time as their gills remain moist. If they were immersed in water, they would perish. Other crabs, such as blue crabs, are essentially aquatic and have evolved to obtain oxygen from an underwater environment. Despite this, they can survive for one to two days out of the water. The European green crab is well-known for its ability to survive for a week without water.

How long do crabs live in captivity?

In captivity, all crab species survive for roughly three to four years on average.

The longevity of hermit crabs is directly proportional to the level of care they receive. Unfortunately, most crabs in captivity only live for a few months. It is common for these crabs to survive in captivity for 1-20 years.

How long do pet crabs live?

A wild hermit crab could survive for up to 30 years if it is lucky enough to survive in its natural environment. A common crab in captivity or caught by humans may have a substantially shorter life, maybe not even reaching the age of one year.

Some crabs, on the other hand, can live for up to 20 years if properly cared for. Caring for hermit crabs is a difficult task because many pet stores don't understand how to properly care for this fragile invertebrate. Crab owners frequently bring sick or badly cared for crabs home. Hermit crabs molt in order to grow, losing their exoskeletons during a difficult stage that involves burying the crab in its natural substrate for days or even weeks. These creatures have gills, which means they need adequate moisture to avoid suffocation.

If a human does not understand a hermit crab's specific needs, they will be dissatisfied if their new pet does not survive for very long. However, with a little knowledge and care, a pet crab can survive for up to 20 years in a strong, well-tended crab environment. Before you purchase a hermit crab, it's critical that you have all you need to safely bring your new hermit crab home. A safe, warm enclosure and nutrition are the most critical components. However, after you've mastered the fundamentals, there are numerous methods to make a tank more aesthetically attractive.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for 'How long do crabs live?' then why not take a look at 'How long do crickets live?', or 'Blue crab facts'.