Molting and individual growth models of Callinectes bellicosus

•Molt data for the swimming crab, Callinectes bellicosus, is analyzed for the first time.•Brown crab showed typical pre-molt cues as many of its blue crab congeners.•Combining experimental data with previous information allowed to refine growth parameters using Bayes theorem.•The von Bertalanffy was selected as the best growth model for the brown crab.