Invertebrate · GBIF taxon 5863764
Dungeness Crab
Metacarcinus magisterAlso known as Market Crab, Pacific Edible Crab
Dungeness crabs are robust bottom-dwellers that spend much of their time buried just beneath sandy seafloors with only their eyes and antennae exposed. They feed actively on soft-bodied benthic invertebrates and young fish, using broad, sharp-toothed pincers to pry open bivalve shells. During spring molting, soft females attract males that guard them in a protective embrace until their new carapaces harden.
MarineCrustaceanCoastal
1 / 7—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Clams
- Marine worms
- Small crustaceans
Predators
- Sea otters
- Giant Pacific octopus
- Pacific halibut
ThreatsOcean acidification, marine heatwaves, habitat degradation, ghost fishing gear
HabitatsEelgrass beds, sandy and muddy ocean bottoms, shallow estuaries
Life span8–13 years
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- OrderDecapoda
- FamilyCancridae
- GenusMetacarcinus
- SpeciesMetacarcinus magister
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Powerful pincers can inflict a painful pinch; hold firmly from the rear of the shell.
- Why it is dangerous
- Equipped with strong pincers designed to crush shells, which can deliver a painful pinch or break skin.
- How to recognize a risky encounter
- Recognized by a broad, purplish-brown shell with ten distinct teeth along the forward edges.
- What to do
- Grasp firmly from behind the back legs on the rear carapace to avoid the claws entirely.
Responsible observation
- Safe Handling: Hold live individuals securely by the back edge of the carapace to keep fingers clear of pincers.
- Observation Cues: Look for eyestalks and antennae protruding above sandy substrates in shallow estuaries at low tide.
- Harvest Compliance: Verify local marine regulations regarding legal size limits, seasonal openings, and female conservation.
Predator Charles J. Sharp / CC BY-SA 4.0 · cc-by-sa
Nursery Habitat no rights reserved · cc0
Predator "Giant Pacific Octopus" by jurvetson is licensed under CC BY 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/. · cc-by
Close Relative Taollan82; Kirt L. Onthank / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
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