Portunus trituberculatus, known as the horse crab, known as the gazami crab or Japanese blue crab, is the most widely fished species of crab in the world, with over 300,000 tonnes being caught annually, 98% of it off the coast of China.

Their Scientific Name Suggests They're Delicious The blue crab's scientific name is Callinectes sapidus, which translates to “savory beautiful swimmer.” Indeed, their back legs, which are paddle shaped, make them excellent swimmers. And blue crabs are prized for their sweet, delicate flavor and tender meat.

Scientists' general understanding of the life cycle of Chesapeake Bay crabs is this: They are spawned in salty Virginia waters near the mouth of the bay, spend their earliest days floating in the Atlantic Ocean, then begin migrating up the bay toward Maryland.

Expand/Collapse How long do blue crabs live? That depends on how well they avoid predators. Typically, the life span for a female blue crab is 1-2 years and a male is 1-3 years; however, in some tagging studies, crabs aged 5 to 8 years old were caught.