What are the survival chances of the crab with one or two claws missing?
The answer to this question requires three key components: Type of wound: Stone crabs have a much better chance of survival if the diaphragm at the body/claw joint is intact (Figure 9a). The diaphragm functions as a seal to close the wound and stop the bleeding. In the wild, the survival rate may approach 100 percent (Figure 9b). But in a fishery, the survival rate depends on the fisherman breaking the claw correctly. How the crabs are handled by the fisherman both before and after the claws are removed is also important.
