There is a very good article at crab street about aging crabs
http://crabstreetjournal.com/xoops/modu ... storyid=16
It is possible to age them, it will always be a ballpark but very close.
Just because the proof is not in a published for the masses book does not mean it is absent. BTW aging animals is fairly common knowledge for scientists everything leaves some sort of evidence of how long it lived...
are jumbo crabs just older crabs?
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gclnin
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Wai
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Re: are jumbo crabs just older crabs?
Marie wasn't doubting the theories. She just wanted to know where the information came from, so that we can read more about it.
Wai
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gclnin
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Re: are jumbo crabs just older crabs?
glad that I shared the link then :-)
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ladybug15057
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Re: are jumbo crabs just older crabs?
I was curious to where the theory came from and thank you for the link. 
I have read this article a couple times since it was written and added to CSJ. It is a way to estimate a hermies age, but it isn't accurate as to what the hermies actual age is. The theory is based on the number of times a hermie molts.
I have read this article a couple times since it was written and added to CSJ. It is a way to estimate a hermies age, but it isn't accurate as to what the hermies actual age is. The theory is based on the number of times a hermie molts.Marie (aka ladybug15057)
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Wai
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Re: are jumbo crabs just older crabs?
The age of humans can be estimated by measuring the size of chromosomal telomeres. Since DNA is a universal genetic code, perhaps it is possible to estimate the actual age of hermit crabs by measuring the size of their telomeres? The older the organism is, the smaller their telomeres are.
Wai
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ladybug15057
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Re: are jumbo crabs just older crabs?
Wai this sounds like it may work a little better to age a hermie by if it was possible to do. (as in somebody actually caring to invest the money for such a way)
I have Jumbo's here, and I know the one that is my daughters, Shelly, one year molted every 3 months. Not sure why, (growing like a bandit?) but this would of thrown off the aging procedure.
Now my straws molt pretty often too for their sizes, and one I have saved as my desk top. Blowing the picture up for my back ground, I can count 72 rings on the antenna. (Lots of molting!)
I have Jumbo's here, and I know the one that is my daughters, Shelly, one year molted every 3 months. Not sure why, (growing like a bandit?) but this would of thrown off the aging procedure.
Now my straws molt pretty often too for their sizes, and one I have saved as my desk top. Blowing the picture up for my back ground, I can count 72 rings on the antenna. (Lots of molting!)
Marie (aka ladybug15057)
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gclnin
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Re: are jumbo crabs just older crabs?
From what I read in the article number of molts is only part of the puzzle, getting their age involves MANY different things. You are correct the number of molts alone does not complete the puzzle, also if you look at the bottom of the article there are several references to scientific articles and papers that can give you more information. The best age is obtained after death... here are some quotes
Sue Fox writes:
"In general, large crabs are older than small crabs. The only way you can accurately estimate your crab's age is if it dies. Then the otoliths, small concretions of mineral deposits, which sit atop the crab's balance organ (located at the base of each antennule), need to be removed. The otoliths can be sectioned and the number of growth rings counted" (Fox, S. 2000)
There are other things that she mentions as well such as the number of 'teeth' on the big claw, length and thickness of the antennae, hardness of the actual ext... etc.
There may even be some updated methods out there, I have found many research documents and such just by searching. 'Exact' may never happen this would be the case for any animal, but science is comfortable with their puzzle like system to find very good estimate. Would it make it better to say this crab was 'estimated' at around 80 years old? Because at that point we are arguing semantics and that is a waste of time.
Sue Fox writes:
"In general, large crabs are older than small crabs. The only way you can accurately estimate your crab's age is if it dies. Then the otoliths, small concretions of mineral deposits, which sit atop the crab's balance organ (located at the base of each antennule), need to be removed. The otoliths can be sectioned and the number of growth rings counted" (Fox, S. 2000)
There are other things that she mentions as well such as the number of 'teeth' on the big claw, length and thickness of the antennae, hardness of the actual ext... etc.
There may even be some updated methods out there, I have found many research documents and such just by searching. 'Exact' may never happen this would be the case for any animal, but science is comfortable with their puzzle like system to find very good estimate. Would it make it better to say this crab was 'estimated' at around 80 years old? Because at that point we are arguing semantics and that is a waste of time.
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ladybug15057
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Re: are jumbo crabs just older crabs?
No argument here, just clarifying the 'estimate'.
I am one of the administrators of the Crab Street Journal, and am aware as to the articles and information within it. (also helped move the information when we changed hosts, as well as update many of the articles)
The author of the article is Vanessa, previous owner of the CSJ, and she discussed many times with us about the information within the article she wrote. The information is fascinating, and Sue Fox's box was pretty accurate as well for 2000.
But since as for the 'teeth', it has also been noted that if a hermie loses their large pincher for any reason this does and will throw the teeth count off.
I am one of the administrators of the Crab Street Journal, and am aware as to the articles and information within it.
(also helped move the information when we changed hosts, as well as update many of the articles) The author of the article is Vanessa, previous owner of the CSJ, and she discussed many times with us about the information within the article she wrote. The information is fascinating, and Sue Fox's box was pretty accurate as well for 2000.
But since as for the 'teeth', it has also been noted that if a hermie loses their large pincher for any reason this does and will throw the teeth count off.
Marie (aka ladybug15057)
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gclnin
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Re: are jumbo crabs just older crabs?
I agree that a loss of the claw would make it a more inaccurate estimate, I think that is why they use so many different things to try and age them. And the article was written some time ago, I am currently researching scientific data to see if there are new methods. It is a difficult search, since not all of these findings are made public.
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hermit crabs rock 10
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Re: are jumbo crabs just older crabs?
yes they r older when there bigger. but i have a question, do pp's grow fast or no because my 1 pp hermen didnt grow that much for about a year now and i want to know if that normal? plz help!