Albinism in an American Population of the Shore Crab, Carcinus maenas (L.)

Abstract

THE common shore or green crab, Carcinus maenas (L.), is a widely distributed predator in inshore areas on both sides of the Atlantic. The ecological importance of the green crab, its status as a predator on commercial shellfish, and its extensive use in laboratory studies warrant a preliminary report on a recently noted abnormality found in a population of this species near Woods Hole, Massachusetts.