Mangrove Crab  (Scylla serrata)  Mud, Muddy and Black Crab

Mangrove crabs are large crabs with a smooth, broad carapace.  In the most common form, the color varies from very dark brown to mottled green.  The other, generally smaller form has a deeper body and is reddish brown.

Mangrove crabs inhabit tropical to warm temperate waters, sheltered estuaries, the tidal reaches of some rivers, mud flats and mangrove forests, although females carrying eggs are present in deeper waters up to 40 miles offshore. 

Mangrove crabs live for up to 3 years and have a delicate sweet taste with medium to firm texture.

Adult mangrove's feed at night on a variety of bivalve and gastropod mollusks including mussels, small crabs and polychaete worms and can reach a weight of 6 pounds.  Mud crabs are also attracted to dead fish and meat in traps.  The mud crab's large claws are used for crushing and cutting their prey.  If they lose a claw, they may grow another one in successive molts.

Mangrove Crabs are caught in wire mesh pots baited with meat or fish.   They are also a by-catch of the coastal set gillnet fishery.