Different King Crab Species

With over 40 species, king crabs are diverse and hardy enough to occupy Northern Pacific waters from Alaska to Russia and from Russia to California. Their five pairs of backward-jointed legs may cause them to appear spiderlike and fearsome, but these kings range in size from an 8-centimeter butterfly crab to the 10-lb. giant King Crabs of Alaska. Moreover, king crabs appear in a wide variety of colors depending upon their environment and the threat of predators.

  1. Alaskan King Crab

    • Crabs are a popular seafood.

      This most well-known name among crabs actually refers to three different crab species. The one fishermen seek most is the red, which can reach about 10 lbs. These come out of the water a dark burgundy. Later, when cooked, they turn fire-engine red. Connoisseurs worldwide consider these the best-tasting crab. The Blue King, with its oversized claws, actually turns orange-red when cooked. The prolific Golden or Brown King Crabs, smallest of the three, taste similar to Blue King crab with less meat. The diet of an Alaskan King Crab may include snails, sea worms or barnacles. Their predators include Halibut and Pacific Cod.

    Umbrella Crab

    • The Umbrella Crab, a considerably smaller king, typically measures 6.5 cm x 9 cm according to University of British Columbia scientists. A male of any size can be scarlet, but the range of colors goes from white or pale brown to various patterns in red-brown, green or grey purple. Umbrella Crabs inhabit the Pacific waters from Alaska to California, especially locations with wave-washed, seaweed-rich rocks and sheltered niches. Here they find colorful growth, maintaining stillness to avoid the notice of predators.

    Others

    • Though larger than their male counterparts, female Butterfly Crabs still only reach about 4.9 cm x 8 cm. Their lightly scalloped shells range from all white to brightly colored patterns such as mottled, streaked or pebbled according to University of British Columbia experts. Found between Alaska and California, Butterfly Crabs choose subtidal crevices, the base of eelgrass or rocks with good seaweed cover. The triangular shell of a Rhinoceros Crab shows a deep indentation around the heart-colored orange and white. Beneath a light brown shell the brown, white and orange abdomen makes for uniform coloring. The males, larger than females by a few millimeters, typically grow to 5.9 cm x 6.4 cm. From Alaska to California, they prefer subtidal, rocky or gravel areas to call home.