Similarly, it is known that a variety of small-scale interactions among populations within a given locality relate to food availability, habitat diversity and population level. Kennedy noted that the effect of predation on the crab population is a complex process and that cannibalism is important throughout the organism's life-history. In particular, our understanding of predation on crab larvae, post-larval stages and juveniles is poorly known. Crabs are thought to possess very keen olfactory senses that could be critical in the turbid, low light environments they occupy. Crabs are also susceptible to diseases of various types, both in natural populations as well as more intensive crab shedding operations and may be impacted by anthropogenic influences as well.
Females mate once during their terminal molt while males mate multiple times.
The quantity of sperm delivered by males per mating is dependent upon the interaction of several factors, including the size of the individual and the interval between mating. Hines noted that complete recharge of seminal fluid requires about 10 days and hence repeated matings during that interval yield less sperm per event. Pressure from the fishery also interacts with the organism's reproductive biology. Harvests are weighted preferentially towards large males and therefore lead to the development of a population dominated by small individuals. Taken together, natural mating strategies and selective harvest pressure yielding a preponderance of small males, suggest that over time a greater percentage of male crabs could be sperm-limited, therefore, delivering less sperm per mating.