When a Hawaii kid’s mouth sprouts black legs, hope they belong to an a‘ama

February 18, 2021

I went to Kauai last weekend for a three-day family vacation. It was a treat to travel again, but costly Covid tests, soldiers checking papers at the arrival gate, and countless island shops and restaurants closed made this no regular interisland trip. Even so, traffic was light, residents friendly, and of course, the island is as breathtakingly beautiful as ever.

We watched white-tailed tropicbirds soar through Waimea Canyon, admired nene families grazing along the roadside, and strolled the length of Hanalei Beach singing “Puff the Magic Dragon.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As we walked, an ‘a‘ama crab appeared in the sand near the shorebreak, and to our surprise, stayed put as we watched. The busy crab was eating something dead and yummy, and in its concentration, posed for pictures.

Usually, ‘a‘ama are hard to see up close because upon a person’s approach, the crabs dash into cracks and crevices to hide. With good reason. For many local families, a‘ama are pupus.

My first introduction to ‘a’ama-eating occurred at a baby luau. Because I was new to Hawaii, and just beginning my marine biology studies, the sight of kids running around the party with black, spidery legs sticking out of their mouths shocked me. Our hostess showed me a plate of ‘a‘ama, explaining that the crabs are a delicacy. After removing the top shell, diners sprinkle sea salt on the exposed back, pop the whole crab in the mouth and suck the innards out, raw.

Also called rock crabs, ‘a‘ama are common in Hawaii, skittering like giant arachnids on rocks and breakwaters. Crabs are crustaceans, of course, but a visitor once told me she was surprised that Hawaii hosted so many tarantulas. In other parts of the world, people call red rock crabs Sally Lightfoots.

In the wild, we often see red-and-white shells of rock crabs. These aren’t dead crabs, but rather, are the molts of healthy, growing crabs. An ‘a‘ama’s molted shell is perfect in shape, but fragile without its structural minerals. It turns red from the heat of the sun.

When it’s time to grow, the crab expands its soft body parts with water and absorbs much of the calcium carbonate in its current shell. The puffed-up animal then backs out of a crack in the rear of the old shell. At this vulnerable time, the crab hides while its new, bigger shell hardens. This “soft-shell” stage of swimming crabs known as Chesapeake blue crabs is an East Coast delicacy.

We weren’t able to summon dragons during our Kauai visit, but the Garden Isle treated us to its own living magic: Soaring seabirds, grazing geese, and one camera-loving ‘a‘ama.