[2] They are brownish red with gray spots and a tan underside, and have large and unequally sized chelae (claws) with black tips.

[3] Florida stone crabs prefer to feed on oysters and other small mollusks, polychaete worms, and other crustaceans.

Predators that feed on stone crabs include horse conch, grouper, sea turtles, cobia, and octopuses.

[3] Their long spawning season lasts all spring and summer, during which time females produce up to a million eggs.

When a claw is broken such that the diaphragm at the body/claw joint is left intact, the wound will quickly heal itself and very little blood is lost.

The bodies of these crabs are relatively small and so are rarely eaten, but the claws (chelae), which are large and strong enough to break an oyster's shell, are considered a delicacy.

Harvesting is accomplished by removing one or both claws from the live animal and returning it to the ocean where it can regrow the lost limb(s).

[10] The Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch program gives the Florida stone crab its lowest rating of "Avoid" and suggests "find an alternative" food.