What physical characteristic of the Jonah crab shell necessitates specialized tools or extra effort during cracking?
Answer
Jonah crabs possess a relatively hard shell.
A notable physical trait that influences how consumers interact with the Jonah crab is the composition of its outer casing. Unlike some crab varieties that might have softer shells, the Jonah crab features a relatively hard shell. This hardness provides firm resistance when one attempts to crack it open to access the meat inside. Consequently, consumers are often advised to utilize heavy-duty cracking tools, such as a mallet or a robust cracker, to manage this resistance effectively and maximize meat extraction.

Related Questions
How is the Jonah crab's flavor profile often compared to the Dungeness crab?What dismissive term was historically used for Jonah crabs in the New England fishery?To which genus, shared with the highly regarded Dungeness crab, does the Jonah crab (*Cancer borealis*) belong?What is the approximate northern boundary for the Jonah crab's habitat along the Atlantic coastline?How is the Jonah crab meat texture generally described in comparison to Blue Crab meat?Why is the Jonah crab's firmer texture advantageous when preparing Crab Cakes?What physical characteristic of the Jonah crab shell necessitates specialized tools or extra effort during cracking?Jonah crabs were historically caught as bycatch in traps targeting which two other commercial species?Which part of the Jonah crab meat is frequently cited by aficionados as being intensely sweet?What trade-off exists regarding meat yield when comparing Jonah crabs to larger species like King or Stone Crabs?