Scientists are stalking WA’s crabs and using X-rays in an effort to understand the iconic crustaceans better.
Fisheries researchers at the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development are using the unique technology to track blue swimmer crab migrations and understand how populations are connected.
Researchers are collaborating with ChemCentre using X-ray fluorescence equipment.
The handheld XRF analyser scans crab shells without destroying them to create a reading of their elemental composition.
Scientists can then work out where individual crabs last moulted and see if they moved to a new spot with different environmental conditions.
This could provide new knowledge of blue swimmer crab movement between estuaries and help with monitoring and management.
DPIRD research scientist Dave Harris said the project was a new way to investigate how blue swimmer crab populations were connected.
“Understanding how crabs move between different fisheries, and the scale of that movement, is important information for the sustainable and economical management of our blue swimmer crab stocks,” Mr Harris said.
“Two pilot trials conducted with ChemCentre scientists using Bruker and Thermo X-ray fluorescence analysers to investigate connectivity between the Swan-Canning Estuary and Cockburn Sound showed positive results in estimating the mineral composition of the exoskeleton (MCE) and have identified fingerprints that help reveal where crabs have spent different stages of their lives.
“If successful, we intend to expand these studies to include the other estuaries and nearshore embayments that are important to blue swimmer crab stocks in south west Australia.”
ChemCentre CEO Paul Nicholls said ChemCentre was proud to collaborate with DPIRD to improve science for WA.
“This valuable study deepens our understanding of WA’s unique marine ecosystem and strengthens management of fisheries,” he said.