blunt-tooth swimming crab
VU

blunt-tooth swimming crab

Callinectes bocourti

Unknown

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Callinectes_bocourti

Overview

Callinectes bocourti is a species of swimming crab. Its native range extends from Jamaica and Belize south to Brazil, but it has been found as a nonindigenous species as far north as North Carolina. This crab has a light brown shell with red spots and markings on it, and red claws and legs. C. bocourti is edible and has been the subject of small-scale fishery.

The blunt-tooth swimming crab faces significant pressure from coastal habitat degradation, particularly the destruction of mangrove ecosystems and estuarine environments essential for its life cycle. Overfishing and intensive harvesting for commercial and subsistence purposes have led to population declines across much of its range. Climate change impacts, including sea level rise and altered salinity patterns, further threaten the delicate coastal habitats this species depends upon.

Threat summary

Habitat

Inhabits shallow coastal waters, estuaries, mangrove swamps, and lagoons along tropical and subtropical coastlines of the western Atlantic. This species requires brackish to marine waters with muddy or sandy bottoms and relies heavily on mangrove root systems and seagrass beds for shelter and feeding.

MARINE· majorMARINE· major

Other threatened species in Portunidae

softshell crabVU

softshell crab

Callinectes sapidus

Unknown

Threatened in Barbados

Calidris ferrugineaVU

Calidris ferruginea

Declining
Blind SnailVU

Blind Snail

Cecilioides acicula

Unknown
CR

Alinea lanceolata

Unknown
Scarce SwallowtailVU

Scarce Swallowtail

Iphiclides podalirius

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is blunt-tooth swimming crab classified as Vulnerable?
blunt-tooth swimming crab is classified as Vulnerable because the population is declining and the species faces a high risk of extinction in the medium-term future if current pressures continue. The blunt-tooth swimming crab faces significant pressure from coastal habitat degradation, particularly the destruction of mangrove ecosystems and estuarine environments essential for its life cycle. Overfishing and intensive harvesting for commercial and subsistence purposes have led to population declines across much of its range. Climate change impacts, including sea level rise and altered salinity patterns, further threaten the delicate coastal habitats this species depends upon.
Where does blunt-tooth swimming crab live?
blunt-tooth swimming crab occurs in Barbados, Belize, Brazil, Cameroon, Colombia, and Congo - Brazzaville (plus 27 other countries). Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to blunt-tooth swimming crab?
The main threats to blunt-tooth swimming crab are ai-1, ai-2, ai-3, and ai-4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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