27.12.2013 – “Crabs Gender”

Despite our best efforts to find animals during our morning trip, the only sightings were crabs hanging on plastic debris that we collected in to the RIBEIRA BRAVA, nevertheless critters like these also have their role and place in the marine ecosystem. In their early developing stages egg crabs make part of the “soup” that we call zooplankton, providing nourishment to hundreds of species. Another curious fact that we also could directly observe was their gender. In a more advanced stage, these can easily be distinguished in gender by the asymmetrical size of the claws in males and when turned on their back, most crab species display a triangular shape in the rear section of “his” underside male and when displaying a more circular rear end at its bottom, then we are at the presence of a female crab.

Anyway, despite not having any dolphins or whales insight, the good weather and pleasant sailing provided to all on board a nice trip….

by Daniel Jardim

Sightings of the day

Ribeira Brava

10:00 – No sighting