Swimming crab and flower crab

Many people like to eat crabs. Crabs are rich in nutrients. Eating crabs regularly has many benefits to human health. There are many types of crabs. Swimming crabs and flower crabs are more common. People who don’t eat crabs often don’t know much about these two types of crabs. In the eyes of some people, they mistakenly believe that all crabs are the same. In fact, there are differences between the two.

The difference between swimming crab and flower crab

1. Variety

Flower crabs are named after the patterns on their shells. Flower crab sometimes refers specifically to orchid crab (male individual of deep-sea swimming crab), which belongs to the family of swimming crabs. However, due to regional differences, red flower crab (rusty crab) is also called flower crab. Flower crab is a warm water crab, which is mainly distributed in the coastal areas of Zhejiang, Fujian, Taiwan, Guangdong, Guangxi and Hainan Island in my country.

The swimming crab, commonly known as the white crab, belongs to the class Crustacea, order Decapoda, family Portunidae. It is an important economic crab species along the coast of China. Distributed in Japan, Korea, the Malay Archipelago, the Red Sea and most of the coastal areas of mainland China.

2. Appearance

There are three prominent warty protrusions on the surface of the swimming crab, one in the stomach area and one in the heart area. The abdomen is flat, commonly known as the "crab navel". The abdomen of male crabs is triangular, while that of female crabs is round. The back of male crabs is tea green, while that of female crabs is purple, and the ventral surfaces are both grayish white. Because of its oval shape and pointed ends like a weaving shuttle, it is named three-spotted swimming crab.

The width of the cephalothorax of the flower crab is about twice its length. It is fusiform and has rough grains on the surface. The grains on the female are more obvious than those on the male. There are 4 teeth on the forehead, and the middle pair of teeth are shorter and smaller. They are sharper in adults and more rounded and blunt in larvae. There are 9 sharp teeth on the front side edge, and the last tooth is much larger than the previous teeth and protrudes to the sides. The chelicerae on the left and right sides are different in size and are long and slender. The length of the male chelicerae is about 4 times the length of the cephalothorax, and the surface has patterns. There is a clear difference in body color between males and females. Except for the movable and immovable fingers of the chelicerae and the front segments and knuckles of each walking leg, which are dark blue, the rest of the male's body is mostly blue-green with light blue or white spots. The front part of the female's cephalothorax is dark green, and the back part is mottled with yellow-brown spots; the ventral surface of the anterior segment of the stinging foot is light orange, extending to the base of the movable and immovable fingers, and the front end of the two fingers is dark red; the anterior segment and knuckles of the walking legs are light orange.

3. Taste

The meat of swimming crab is tender and white, rich in protein, fat and various minerals. Swimming crabs are strongest during the winter migrating season, generally weighing around 250 grams and up to 500 grams. The female crab is fully covered with red cream and tastes excellent. Swimming crabs can be eaten fresh, steamed, fried, or stir-fried, or cut in half and stewed with bean paste, or stir-fried with rice cakes, pickles, or tofu. They are a common dish on the tables of residents along the coastal areas. It can also be pickled, that is, fresh swimming crabs are soaked in brine and can be eaten after a few days, commonly known as "fresh wind grabs crabs". In the past, fishermen often selected live crabs with full roe because of the high yield of swimming crabs, picked out the roe and put it into a bowl, and solidified it in the wind and sun to make "crab roe cakes". The flavor is particularly good, but the yield is small, and it is difficult for ordinary people to taste it.

Flower crabs are rich in protein, trace elements, etc., and have a good nourishing effect on the body. Since ancient times, there is a saying that crabs have four flavors. "Thigh meat" has short and thin meat strands, and tastes like scallops; "calf meat" has long and tender meat strands, and tastes as good as whitebait; "crab body meat" is white and crystal clear, and tastes better than whitefish. Flower crabs contain a large amount of nutrients essential to the human body, such as protein, fat, phospholipids, vitamins, etc., and are rich in nutrients.

4. Price

Flower crab is a very common type of sea crab in Beihai. The price is generally between 30 and 70 yuan, depending on the size and fatness. The kind that people eat at home is about 30 yuan per catty, and the smaller ones used for making soup can cost more than ten yuan.

Swimming crabs are slightly better in price. At present, the market price of live male swimming crabs weighing more than 200 grams is 80-100 yuan per kilogram, and the price of live male swimming crabs weighing less than 200 grams is 60-70 yuan per kilogram. On the eve of the Mid-Autumn Festival every year, the price of swimming crabs in the market will gradually rise sharply.

Which is more expensive, swimming crab or flower crab?

How much is a pound of swimming crab?

The price of swimming crabs varies according to individual size, male and female, and fatness. A fat and bright yellow female crab weighing more than half a catty costs about 120 to 150 yuan per catty. A fat and bright yellow female crab weighing more than half a catty costs 80 to 100 yuan per catty. A fat and bright yellow female crab weighing about 3 taels costs 70 to 80 yuan per catty. A fat and bright yellow female crab weighing about 3 taels costs 40 to 60 yuan per catty. The price of poor fatness is much cheaper, usually only a dozen yuan can be sold!

How much does flower crab cost per pound

Flower crab is a very common type of sea crab in Beihai. The price is generally between 30 and 70 yuan, depending on the size and fatness. The kind that people eat at home is about 30 yuan per catty, and the smaller ones used for making soup can cost more than ten yuan.

Flower crabs are rich in protein, trace elements and other nutrients, and have a good nourishing effect on the body. Studies have found that flower crabs also have anti-tuberculosis effects, and eating flower crabs is very beneficial for recovery from tuberculosis. It is generally believed that freshwater crabs are better for medicinal purposes, while saltwater crabs are only for eating. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that crabs have the effects of clearing away heat and detoxifying, replenishing bones and marrow, nourishing tendons and activating blood circulation, dredging meridians, benefiting limbs, healing wounds, nourishing liver yin, and replenishing gastric juice. It has certain therapeutic effects on diseases such as congestion, injury, jaundice, low back and leg pain, and rheumatoid arthritis.