The physiology of molting in crabs: insights from a bibliometric review

Abstract

Crabs are valuable fishery commodities, with increasing cultivation efforts to meet global demand. However, cannibalism during the critical molting phase remains a major challenge, especially in soft-shell crab farming, where asynchronous molting heightens vulnerability. This review employed bibliometric analysis of 392 publications from the Scopus database (2014–2024) to investigate mechanisms and factors influencing crab molting. The analysis revealed research trends focusing on transcriptomics, antioxidant responses, and studies on Scylla paramamosain . Recent shifts towards an emphasis on metabolism, physiology, and genetic regulation highlight the complexity of molting as an interplay of hormonal, genetic, cellular, and environmental factors. These findings provide valuable insights to enhance sustainable and efficient crab farming practices, particularly through improved molting management strategies.

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