The topics of growth, reproduction, and characteristics will also be covered.

Blue crabs come from the family Portunidae a group of animals having jointed legs, segmented body, and a hard outer shell. (Capossela, 1990) It is a crustacean as are lobsters and shrimps. This crab stays in water although it could survive shortly out of it.

The growth of blue crabs is slowed in areas of high salinity. In the waters of average salinity, male crabs may grow to seven-nine inches. Females seldom make it past six. They can live an average of 2-2 1/2 years, although some make it to four years of age. The crab has to shed his hard shell in order to grow. It sometimes has to do this 25-30 times in his life, for about two days each. At this time the crab is called a "softshell." (Capossela, 1990) Small crabs shed every 3-5 days.

The blue crab occurs along the Atlantic Coast from Cape Cod south to Florida and around the Golf of Mexico to the Mississippi, and nex

The family of fiddler crabs is Ocypodiae. It has a pinching claw, which is usually on the right. This identifies them without any further description. They carry large claw horizontally in front of the body and it has been seen to fiddle the smaller claw like a bow which simulates the playing of a fiddle. That trait brings about their name.

2. "Blue Crabs."Colliers Encyclopedia. 1992 ed.

Adair 2

Hermit Crabs do not have a cover shell that protects their posterior part of their body like most crabs. They have to seek protection for their soft, defenseless abdomens by inserting them into some hollow object which is usually the shell of a gasteropod mollusk. They appear well fitted to adjust to surroundings. Their body becomes spiral to conform to the shell.

that appears suitable on first inspection, but more often it has to try several before it finds one it choses to live in. House-hunting is a very careful and meticulous job. (sullevant, 1992) If the crab sees that it is clean, he goes into it to see if his abdomen fits into the shell. The crab inspects the shells with their antennae and legs. Sometimes the shells of hermit crabs becomes the home of hydroids sea anenomes that live with the hermits.

4. Sullevant, Rosemary. "Crabs."Sea Frontiers. December 1992.

Some common words found in the essay are:
Mexico Mississippi, Hermit Crabs, Fiddler Crabs, Crabs Blue, October Shortly, Florida Pagurus, England Florida, Common Crabs, Colliers Encyclopedia, Wolfe April, fiddler crabs, blue crabs, hermit crabs, hermit crab, salt marshes, found salt marshes, crabs family, capossela 1990, shell crab, headstrom 1985, grow sometimes,
Approximate Word count = 1421
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)