There is an endless stream of people who love to taste seafood, and crab is often their first choice. Crabs also occupy an important place in Chinese food culture, and all kinds of crabs have become frequent guests on the tables of food lovers. So, do you know what is the largest crab in the world? Here are ten species of crabs in the world, including giant crabs, giant crabs, Alaskan king crabs, coconut crabs, saw-edged blue crabs, common yellow crabs, etc., let's take a closer look.
1. Giant crab (average weight is 20 kg)
The largest crab in the world is none other than the giant crab. Macrocheira kaempferi, also known as Japanese spider crab, giant spider crab, tall crab, killer crab, etc., is the largest crustacean on earth and the only species in the Decapoda brachycera spider crab family. These massive creatures were clad in dark orange shells, covered in white spots, and had a total of ten long limbs. Its first two limbs develop into giant chelae, the largest individual chelicera can reach up to 4.2 meters when unfolded, the body length can reach 38 centimeters, weigh 20 kilograms, and live up to 100 years. Giant crabs inhabit the deep Pacific Ocean from Iwate Prefecture in Japan to the northeast corner of Taiwan, and feed on sharks, hagfish, other crabs, and various types of fish. Like many crabs, giant crabs have a scavenging habit and are sometimes nicknamed "corpse crabs".
2. Giant crab (up to 13.5 kg)
Giant crabs, also known as king crabs, Australian large crabs, and Tasmanian deep-sea monster crabs, belong to the family of short-footed decapod finned crabs. Among the crabs in the world, it is one of the largest in size. Adult oversized crabs are up to 41 centimeters wide and weigh more than 13.5 kilograms. The shells of these spectacular creatures are red and white, with fan-shaped carapaces and unusually thick chelae and feet. Known as the "king of crabs", it is known for its large body and delicious meat. They inhabit the continental shelf waters of southern Australia, and prefer water temperatures between 12~14°C, which is considered to be the most suitable temperature. It is usually active at night, but it can also be active during the day in accordance with the tides. They feed mainly on slow-moving snails, starfish, hermit crabs, and even dead fish, which contrasts with the appearance of their massive bodies.
3. Alaskan king crab (average weight is 10 kg)
Alaskan king crab, or king crab, stone crab, rock crab, scientific name Kamchatka stone crab, belongs to the family of stone crabs of the suborder decapod crooked-tailed suborder, similar in appearance to crabs, but strictly speaking, it is not an orthodox crab, closer to hermit crabs. This king crab is a deep-sea crab that mainly inhabits cold seas and usually weighs about 10 kilograms, reaching up to 1.8 meters when its feet are spread. With strong long legs, it is one of the few crabs that can crawl both sideways and vertically, ranking among the top three largest crabs in the world. Due to its large size and delicious meat, it is widely caught and eaten as a delicacy, so it is often found in the frozen section of large supermarkets.
4. Coconut crab (up to 8 kg)
One of the largest crabs in the world is the coconut crab. In addition to giant crabs such as spider crabs, king crabs, and king crabs, coconut crabs are also among them. Coconut crabs are hermit crabs with hard shells, two powerful claws, and are good at climbing towering coconut trees, so named after the coconut fruits they eat. As one of the largest crabs on the planet, the coconut crab is not only the largest terrestrial crab, but also one of the largest terrestrial arthropods. Typically individuals can be up to 1 meter long and weigh up to 8 kilograms. These crabs inhabit the coastal edges of tropical forests, and their range is found throughout the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean.
5. Blue crab with saw edge (up to 3 kg)
China's blue crab is one of the most highly regarded species in marine aquaculture and one of the top 10 famous crabs in the mainland. There are four main types of blue crabs, and among these blue crab categories, the most massive is the saw-edged blue crab. The blue crab, also known as the yellow turtle and the cockle, has the most magnificent body in the blue crab group and is also one of the most expensive species. The carapace is typically up to 20 centimeters wide and weighs about 1.5 kilograms, while the largest individuals can reach 28 centimeters wide and weigh up to 3 kilograms. Once cooked, the entire body of the blue crab turns a striking red color, hence the name "red cricket" [xún]. The two claws of the blue crab show an asymmetrical shape and have a distinct net-like pattern on the feet, which is very rare, and the local fishermen call it the flower-legged crab.
6. Common yellow crab (up to 3 kg)
One of the largest crabs in the world is the common yellow crab. The common yellow crab, commonly known as the brown brown shell, is oval in shape, like a piece of walking bread. This is one of the three giants of the yellow crab species, with a large size, usually around 15 cm in width of the shell, and the largest individual can reach 25 cm, and the heaviest can reach 3 kg. Females are usually larger in size than males. Common yellow crabs are widely distributed, mainly inhabiting the North Sea, the North Atlantic and the Mediterranean, especially in the Northeast Atlantic. These crabs are mainly nocturnal and feed mainly on benthic animals such as crustaceans and molluscs. In the market, the common brown crab is mainly produced in Scotland and Ireland, so it is also often referred to as the "English brown crab" or "Irish golden crab".
7. Snow crab (up to 2.5 kg)
Snow crab, also known as cobbler crab (in the United States), queen crab (in Canada and Europe), its scientific name is gray-eyed snow crab. This crab lives mainly in the waters of the North Atlantic and North Pacific Oceans and usually inhabits areas with cooler water temperatures. Snow crabs are known for their large size, long feet, and plump flesh. At present, the common snow crabs in the market are mainly divided into gray-eyed snow crabs and red-eyed snow crabs. In general, what is the weight of the largest crab of the two types of snow crabs, with grey-eyed snow crabs generally weighing between 0.7 and 1.1 kg, while red-eyed snow crabs usually weigh between 1.4 and 2.5 kg. Of the two types of snow crabs, the grey-eyed snow crab has the largest global catch and the most widespread distribution, so its popularity and commercial value are also the highest.
8. Chief yellow crab (up to 1.5 kg)
The chief yellow crab is also one of the three giants of the yellow crab species, ranking eighth in the list of the world's largest crabs. The chief yellow crab, also known as Dungenes crab or Dunkins crab, is named after the old town of Dungenes in Washington State, USA, and the Canadians call it Vancouver crab, and it is also commonly known as Dungeness crab in China. This crab is one of the largest and most commercially valuable crabs in the world. Dungeness crabs are only allowed to be harvested by males, also known as prince crabs, male crabs have a V-shaped ventral cover, usually with a carapace width of about 16 to 20 centimeters, and the heaviest can even reach 1.5 kilograms.
9. Three-wart pike crab (up to 1 kg)
Barracuda crab, also known as gun crab, sea crab or white crab, biological name three-wart pike crab, mainly inhabits the sea at a depth of 10-50 meters, and the most dense area is usually in the sediment bottom sea area with a water depth of 10-30 meters. They are found in Japan, Korea, the Malay Archipelago, the Red Sea, and the coastal areas of China. Because of its rich meat, fat and delicious meat, and high nutritional value, the three-wart crab is not only an important economic crab in China's coastal areas, but also one of the best-selling products in China's export market, and is loved by consumers. Barracuda crabs are huge, generally up to 20 cm wide, weighing 0.4 kg, and even up to 1 kg at the heaviest, making them one of the largest crab species in China.
10. Christmas Island Red Crab (up to 0.48 kg)
The red crab, also known as the land red crab, the red ground crab or the Australian red crab, is a land crab that is only found on Christmas Island and Cocoa Island in the Indian Ocean and is managed by the Australian Government. These red crabs have a black back shell, while their bellies and limbs glow red, like grilled lobsters. Typically, their carapace can reach up to 11.6 centimeters, weigh between 0.415 and 0.48 kilograms, and have closed gills. During the breeding season each year, several small islands in Australia are home to a spectacular migration spectacle of red crabs. To protect the crabs, the local government has built wildlife corridors dedicated to their migration, and even closed roads and railways during peak migration times to ensure their safe passage.
These crab species stand out for their huge size and weight, as well as their popularity and online attention among the public. However, the size and weight of crabs can vary depending on different standards and measurement methods, so the list is still controversial and can be discussed.