A woman in Virginia says the blue crab she caught during a recent crabbing run on the James River was very rare as its blue coloring coated its entire body.

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The Newport News (Va.) Daily Press said Sunday that Sally Epps found the all-blue crab during a recent crabbing run near Virginia's Craney Island and was immediately struck by the animal's rare coloring.

"I just said, 'You know, this looks real strange," Epps said.

Epps, whose age was not reported but who has 11 years of crabbing experience, said she never came across a blue crab with similar coloring.

Epps soon turned the crab over to the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, but the animal later died of unspecified causes.

Epps told the Daily Press she remains unclear what caused the crab's rare coloring since her only experiences with blue crab coloring are based on the species' gender differences and their post-cooking appearances.

"I know they generally turn red when you steam 'em," she said.