The Maryland Blue Crab Trivia Quiz

Grab a can of Natty Boh and some Old Bay, hon. It's crab pickin' time!

A multiple-choice quiz by Scoob44. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
Scoob44

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
206,443

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
6 / 10

Plays
693

Last 3 plays: Guest 69 (1/10), Lori16602 (6/10), wallyhere (6/10).

This quiz has 2 formats: you can play it as a or as shown below.
Scroll down to the bottom for the answer key.

1. The blue crab, while a favorite of Marylanders, is actually widespread along the North American coast ranging from as far north as Massachusetts to as far south and west as Texas. What area produces over 50% of the blue crab harvest every year? Hint

The Chesapeake Bay

The Atlantic Ocean

The Gulf of Mexico

The Delaware Bay

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2. The Latin name for the blue crab is "Callinectes sapidus", which means what? Hint

"Fierce bottom-dweller"

"Beautiful swimmer that is savory"

"Swimming crustacean that is peevish"

"Hard-shelled scavenger"

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3. Which is not a term for an edible crab? Hint

Papershells

Buckshells

Peelers

Softshells

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4. How big was the largest recorded blue crab from Maryland from tip to tip of its shell? Hint

Nine inches

Six inches

Three feet

Two feet

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5. What does it mean if there is a pink dot on the back fin of a crab? Hint

The crab will molt in about a week.

The crab is marked by surveyors and should not be harvested.

The crab has mated and is ready to spawn.

The crab is not a blue crab, but an Asian relative being introduced into the Chesapeake Bay.

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6. Female crabs cannot mate with their shells on; they must wait until just after molting.

True

False

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7. Old Bay has been a Maryland staple for almost as long as crabs have been. The unique blend of spices is added to steamed crabs during and after cooking. Which spice is NOT found in Old Bay? Hint

Ginger

Mustard

Cinnamon

Garlic

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8. How many appendages does a normal blue crab have, including claws and backfins? Hint

Six

Ten

Eight

Twelve

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9. How are male blue crabs (jimmies) and female blue crabs (sooks) identified? Hint

The "aprons" on the underside of the crab are different shapes

Females have fewer anterolateral teeth on their shells than males.

Females only have eight legs

There is no way to tell the gender unless you open their shells.

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10. How do blue crabs spend their winter? Hint

They migrate to warmer waters.

They bury themselves in mud and wait for warmer temperatures.

They mate and reproduce.

The same way they spend their summers--eating, swimming, and pinching.

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

Answer: The Chesapeake Bay

The silty, less saline waters of the Chesapeake are ideal for blue crabs to scavenge, hide from predators, and mate. Smaller populations of blue crabs can be found outside of the U.S. ranging from Nova Scotia to Argentina.

2. The Latin name for the blue crab is "Callinectes sapidus", which means what?

Answer: "Beautiful swimmer that is savory"

Savory, absolutely. But beautiful is a stretch.

3. Which is not a term for an edible crab?

Answer: Buckshells

Peelers are just about to lose their hard shells, making picking very easy. Softshells have just lost their hard shells, and a thin, pliable shell has replaced it. These are a delicacy and can be eaten whole, usually fried. Papershells are the same, only the shell is slightly older and therefore thicker.

4. How big was the largest recorded blue crab from Maryland from tip to tip of its shell?

Answer: Nine inches

Larger crabs, measuring ten to eleven inches, have been seen by survey performers.

5. What does it mean if there is a pink dot on the back fin of a crab?

Answer: The crab will molt in about a week.

The pink dot is actually the new shell appearing under the old. Within a week the crab will molt and shed its shell. The crab does this several times in its lifespan as it grows.

6. Female crabs cannot mate with their shells on; they must wait until just after molting.

Answer: True

The male crab will cradle a female crab who is just about to molt. These pairs are called "doublers". During molting, the male dismounts but remains nearby until the female has successfully shed her old shell. Only then can they mate.

7. Old Bay has been a Maryland staple for almost as long as crabs have been. The unique blend of spices is added to steamed crabs during and after cooking. Which spice is NOT found in Old Bay?

Answer: Garlic

Old Bay is made by McCormick & Co. in Hunt Valley, Maryland. Try Old Bay on pizza, chicken, and shrimp!

8. How many appendages does a normal blue crab have, including claws and backfins?

Answer: Ten

Two claws, two backfins, and six feelers.

9. How are male blue crabs (jimmies) and female blue crabs (sooks) identified?

Answer: The "aprons" on the underside of the crab are different shapes

Flip the crab over to the white underside. With the crab facing your feet, the male apron looks like a T while the female's looks like a V. A mature female's apron is a wider, more rounded V shape. This is where the female's eggs are stored before and after mating.

Another way of differentiating male from female is that the females have red tips on their front claws. Think of it as the female having painted her nails!

10. How do blue crabs spend their winter?

Answer: They bury themselves in mud and wait for warmer temperatures.

Females bury themselves in deeper waters while the males and juveniles bury themselves in shallower waters. Neither sex eats or does much of anything during this period and it is illegal to catch them between December 1st and March 31st.

Source: Author Scoob44

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor crisw before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

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Mar 24 2023 : Guest 69: 1/10
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