How long does it take for a Puget Sound King Crab to molt?

enchantmentdivi · Post by **enchantmentdivi** » Tue May 01, 2012 5:23 pm

Exactly one surface interval!!!

Found this little juvenile at the end of the jetty at Keystone on Sunday.

: 8:34 AM No signs of molting

On the second dive, I took a few dive buddies back to the spot to show them. At first, I was baffled to see two, and then realized it was not two at all, but that the little guy had molted!!!

: 10:35 AM Molting complete

Time stamps on the photos indicate that it took somewhere around 2 hours (or less) to molt start to finish.

Fascinating!

Jan K · Post by **Jan K** » Tue May 01, 2012 5:51 pm

COOL !

John Rawlings · Post by **John Rawlings** » Tue May 01, 2012 6:06 pm

How great to have been there at just the right time(s)!!!!!

eliseaboo · Post by **eliseaboo** » Tue May 01, 2012 6:08 pm

How cool!! I had a red rock crab in the touch tanks last week that molted WHILE I WAS TEACHING! I didn't notice until after it was completed, like you...but it's always so cool to see those things

spatman · Post by **spatman** » Tue May 01, 2012 6:43 pm

John Rawlings wrote:How great to have been there at just the right time(s)!!!!!

+1! And with a camera!

LCF · Post by **LCF** » Tue May 01, 2012 9:03 pm

What a wonderful thing to catch and document! Thanks for sharing the photos.

Scubie Doo · Post by **Scubie Doo** » Tue May 01, 2012 9:21 pm

Way cool!

Waynne Fowler · Post by **Waynne Fowler** » Tue May 01, 2012 9:28 pm

What they said.
That Rocks!

oldsalt · Post by **oldsalt** » Tue May 01, 2012 9:43 pm

Wow Jenn. I, too, am impressed. You have joined the ranks of elite observers.
-Curt

Jabberjaw · Post by **Jabberjaw** » Wed May 02, 2012 7:00 am

Way cool Jen.

enchantmentdivi · Post by **enchantmentdivi** » Wed May 02, 2012 7:13 am

Thanks guys!

Here's another shot from the dives that day of another juvenile Puget Sound King Crab. The orange blob on the left is my index finger of my dryglove for size comparison. Wee little guy--we found 3 this size. Has anyone ever seen an adult PSKC there? I have not.

eliseaboo · Post by **eliseaboo** » Wed May 02, 2012 8:09 am

Oh. My. God.

Ok, who is going to take me diving at Keystone before those guys grow up?????

(But I haven't seen an adult there either...but then again, I haven't seen an adult period, soooo...take that as you will :P)

Northwest Dive Club