My Eggs, My Choice!

Female crabs can choose the time and place that they carry offspring. After mating, female crabs can hold onto sperm in storage sacs called spermatheca - they can then decide when the environmental conditions are best before fertilising themselves. Some crabs may decide not to reproduce at all.

Female crabs are also often promiscuous, which means they may have many mating partners. The female crabs can make use of a wide range of genetic material and ensure a wide gene pool.

In 2000, a study by the Canadian Journal of Zoology found that the Snow Crab can hold up to 12 different partner’s ejaculates.

In a 1984 study, female crabs were impregnated by males and then isolated. These crabs were found to be able to wait up to two years before fertilising themselves and carrying viable eggs.

After three years of isolation from males, the sperm appears to have decayed, and the eggs were no longer viable.

Pictured is a female Fiddler Crab, carrying eggs.

Being pro-choice isn’t hard - if crabs can do it, you can - get over yourselves.

Museums are not neutral.