Mexico begins marketing efforts to restore $13B tourism industry

It will be a nice change to see some positive Mexico headlines in the coming weeks and months. ……Click Here To Read More

'Rudo y Cursi:' The Mexican movie phenomenon

Eight years ago, Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna became global pin-ups for the resurgence in Mexican filmmaking after their memorable breakthrough in coming-of-age road movie "Y tu Mama Tambien." ……Click Here To Read More

Mexico Will Benefit From Flu Conference In Cancun

The Global Flu Summit in Mexico, from July 1-3, 2009, will be of great benefit to the country and its tourism industry, said Cancun real estate agents, RE/MAX Investment Properties, today……Click Here To Read More

Airline Aeromexico To Get MXN500M Infusion From Investors          

Mexican airline Aeromexico's investors have committed to inject 500 million pesos ($37.9 million) into the company to help it cover financial shortcomings resulting from the local outbreak of A/H1N1 influenza, a top official said Thursday. ……Click Here To Read More

Stockholders in Mexico's ICA approve share sale

ICA (ICA.MX)(ICA.N), Mexico's top building company, said on Thursday its stockholders h

ave approved a plan to sell up to $350 million in shares to finance infrastructure projects. ……Click Here To Read More

2 million flew from Mexico as swine flu began

In a startling measure of just how widely a new disease can spread, researchers found that more than 2.3 million people flew from Mexico to more than 1,000 cities worldwide in March and April as the swine flu epidemic was unfolding. ……Click Here To Read More

Mexico deploys 1,500 extra soldiers to border city

Mexico has deployed 1,500 more troops to Ciudad Juarez following a surge in homicides in the border city related to the drug trade. ……Click Here To Read More

Fields of hope: How Portales won the battle for Eastern New Mexico University

In 1912, the New Mexico Constitution called for “a normal school, which shall be established by the Legislature and located in one of the counties of Union, Quay, Curry, Roosevelt, Chaves or Eddy.” ……Click Here To Read More

Conference to bring together U.S./Mexico ‘sister cities’

The Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce is partnering with the governor’s office and the city of Austin to host the 2009 U.S./Mexico Sister Cities International Conference from Aug. 5 through Aug. 9, an event that will bring about 300 attendees from more than 160 U.S. cities and their sister city counterparts in Mexico. ……Click Here To Read More

Schwarzenegger Visits Victims of Mexico Fire

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has toured a Sacramento hospital that is treating children burned earlier this month in a blaze at a day care center in northern Mexico. ……Click Here To Read More

Tropical Storm Andres could grow into hurricane, brush Mexico

Forecasters are expecting Tropical Storm Andres to grow into the Pacific season's first hurricane Tuesday. …Click Here to Read More

Mexico to propose San Luis Potosi as UNESCO World Heritage Site

Mexico will propose that silver mines in San Luis Potosi become a World Heritage Site at a UNESCO meeting scheduled for June 22-30 in Spanish city Sevilla, a culture official said on Wednesday. …Click Here to Read More

Badiano Codex, Key to Study Indigenous Medicine

Returned to Mexico in 1990 by the Vatican, the De la Cruz-Badiano Codex, considered the first medical book of the new World, was digitalized and edited in a compact disc by the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) …Click Here to Read More

Tropical Land Crabs

                By Tara Spears

With the summer rains come the hoards of blue land crabs along the Riviera Nayarit coast. Since their main habitat is inland jungle forests within five miles of the ocean, most of the year these low-slung critters are not that visible to those living or visiting the coastal communities. But, since the life cycle of the land crab (terrestrial crabs of the family Ocypodidae) is controlled by the sea, it is the ocean that regenerates the species. Land crabs migrate from the jungle to the ocean to wash their eggs during the Mexican summer rainy season, then migrate back to their land territory.  That’s why you are seeing so many of them recently. These alien-like terrestrial crustaceans  have ecological importance as decomposers of dead organisms besides being a human food source.

Land Crab Life Cycle:   Adult female blue crab heading to sea;  giving birth in the ocean;      baby (larvae stage) in the ocean; juvenile returning to land.

Blue land crabs reach sexual maturity in approximately four years. Their peak reproductive activity occurs during full moons in the summer. After mating, an adult female lays her eggs but carries the egg mass beneath her body for approximately 2 weeks prior to migrating to the ocean and releasing the eggs into shallow inshore waters. A female may produce 300,000 - 700,000 eggs per spawn, but very few larvae survive to become small crabs. The larvae are eaten by fish and other aquatic animals. The spawning season (female migration to ocean) lasts from June to December, peaking in October and November. Once the eggs hatch, the tiny larvae are carried out to sea. The development stage (from larvae to small crab) takes about a month out in the ocean; during that time the currents can carry a concentration of larvae quite far before depositing young crabs on another shore. This phenomenon sometimes seems as if an invasion of young land crabs has occurred in an area.

The adult male Blue crab (left) displays the asymmetric claws that indicate sexual maturity.  In the juvenile phase, the male and female crabs look alike. Land crabs grow by moulting, a process of shedding their hard exoskeleton; the crab absorbs water internally to crack the old shell.

Crabs are usually aggressive towards each other, and males often fight over females. Social and mating behaviors are complex. Many make species - specific sounds by banging on the ground with their pincers or stamping with their feet, or make elaborate pincer movements. Mating occurs only when the female has just molted and her new shell is not yet hard; the males, however, are in their hard-shelled form. Thus males may protect a female just before she molts, so he can have first access when she is able to mate, and may continue to protect her till shell hardens. Some males even carry the female around. Usually the eggs are laid shortly after mating, but females can also store sperm for many months. The eggs are fertilized as they pass through the chamber holding the sperm. In most, the females carry their eggs cemented to their underside and protected by the tail, which is folded under the body to form a brood pouch.  

This animal can measure up to 6 inches (15cm) across its carapace.  In its juvenile form, the crab is a dark brown, purple, or orange in color. As an adult, it is a bluish-gray color. The adult female sometimes appears light gray or white. The reproducing, mature land crab has one claw that is larger than the other, and the walking legs are sparsely hairy.

As adults, Blue crabs are terrestrial (land-dwelling) and are found as far as 5 miles from the shoreline, returning to the sea only to drink or breed. They live in burrows several feet deep or at least to a level that will allow water to seep in for moisture. The blue land crab is primarily vegetarian, preferring tender leaves, fruits, berries, flowers and some vegetables. Occasionally they will eat beetles or other large insects.

Land crabs have sensitive eyes. During the day they use light and at night they identify the brightest part of the horizon. They also use vibrations, landmarks and prevailing winds to guide them to the sea. It does not depend on its eyes alone, for it senses motion and sound. They can rapidly move in any direction.  Their hard pinchers, used for tearing food and protection, will regenerate if torn from its body.

The exotic tropical Blue land crab is another treasure that makes living or visiting the Riviera Nayarit so enjoyable.

Contact Tara:  tara.sprs@hotmail.com

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