Final answer:
A blue crab typically molts around 25 times in its lifetime to accommodate growth since its exoskeleton made of chitin does not expand.
Step-by-step explanation:
A blue crab must molt about 25 times over the course of its life.
Crustaceans, including blue crabs, have a hard exoskeleton made of chitin that does not grow as the animal grows. Molting, which is the process of shedding the old exoskeleton and growing a new, larger one, allows the crab to increase in size. The molting process is critical for the crab's growth and happens multiple times throughout its life. Younger crabs molt more frequently than older ones as they are growing at a faster rate.
A blue crab must molt about 25 times over the course of its life. Crustaceans, such as blue crabs, go through molting to grow and replace their exoskeleton. During the molting process, the crab sheds its old exoskeleton and forms a new one, allowing it to increase in size.