The Reproductive System
To begin, female blue crabs can only mate once in their lives. However they can release eggs up to 2 times because of the sperm stored from the females only mate. When blue crabs hatch, both female and male crabs molt (shed) continuously. However, males continue on molting for the rest of their lives, meanwhile, the females stop molting when they have reached their age of sexual maturity (12- 18 months after being born). Before the female's last molt occurs, their bodies send out a chemical that attracts the males and once the last molt is occurring , the male that was attracted cradles the female in a position that is called coupling. Coupling is used for the male to keep the women safe while her last molt is occurring. Throughout this process, the shape of the female crab's carapace, changes from a v- shape, to an upside down u- shape. This happens so that the u-shaped carapace is able to hold her eggs. Once the molting/mating process is done, the female is then sexually mature. The female holds her eggs under her abdomen for a period of 2- weeks. After the two weeks, the eggs are released and the female then migrates to feed. The Haploid chromosomes for the crabs are 127.
How do the Gametes Join?
For some arthropods, the male would typically pass sperm through seal packets called spermatophores. They would lay them on the ground and females would later pick it up or they would drop it in their genital opening. However, for crustaceans such as the blue crab, males simply insert the sperm directly into the female.
http://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/fish_marine_pdf/hrblcrab.pdf
http://genetics.thetech.org/ask/ask257
How do the Gametes Join?
For some arthropods, the male would typically pass sperm through seal packets called spermatophores. They would lay them on the ground and females would later pick it up or they would drop it in their genital opening. However, for crustaceans such as the blue crab, males simply insert the sperm directly into the female.
http://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/fish_marine_pdf/hrblcrab.pdf
http://genetics.thetech.org/ask/ask257
Asexual vs Sexual-
Asexual: Asexual reproduction is when an organism does not need another aorganism to reproduce and it creates a genetically identical offspring. This is associated with mitosis.
Forms of Asexual Reproduction/ Mitosis-
-bacteria reproduction,
-regeneration
-budding
-vegetative propagation
Sexual: Reproduction involving a male and female fertilization. This also involves the process of gametogenesis, and meiosis
Meiosis- The making of the sperm and the egg (gametogenesis). Meiosis produces haploid cells.
Mitosis- Mitosis is simply the replication of cells.
Forms of Asexual Reproduction/ Mitosis-
-bacteria reproduction,
-regeneration
-budding
-vegetative propagation
Sexual: Reproduction involving a male and female fertilization. This also involves the process of gametogenesis, and meiosis
Meiosis- The making of the sperm and the egg (gametogenesis). Meiosis produces haploid cells.
Mitosis- Mitosis is simply the replication of cells.