How long does it take for a stone crab to grow it's claw back once it was removed?

Question

In Louisiana and along the Gulf coast, fisherman are allowed to catch stone crabs for their claws. The can only keep one claw and release the crab back to the water. I was always wondering how long it takes for it to grow back.A info source would be helpful.

Answer 1

The stone crab loses its limbs easily to escape from predators or tight spaces, but their limbs will grow back. When a claw is broken in the right place, the wound will quickly heal itself and very little blood is lost.

If, however, the claw is broken in the wrong place, more blood is lost and the crab's chances of survival are much lower. It only takes about one year for the claw to grow back to its normal size. Each time the crab molts, the new claw grows larger.