Coastal Aquaculture and Mariculture

Unit 6- Crustaceans

6.3.1. Species composition
There are about 600 species of crabs in Indian waters. Of these, 8 species belonging to the families Calippidae, Portunidae and Grapsidae support localised fishery of some importance in the marine and brackishwater regions. Portunidae includes the commercially important marine species such as Portunus sanguinolentus, P. pelagicus, Charybdis feriatus, C. annulata and C. natator. The country has a good fishery for marine crabs. Three species namely C. feriatus (Cross crab) P. sanguinolentus (Spotted crab) and P. pelagicus (Reticulate crab) predominate the fishery of edible crabs in the Indian coastal waters.