Red king crab

Paralithodes camtschaticus

The red king crab is a large, spiny crab of cold northern seas. Juveniles hide in complex shallow habitat, while adults move into deeper shelf waters.

Not a fish · an aquatic neighbor

Water

Saltwater

Soft shelf sediments, shell hash, cobble, algae, and bryozoan habitat.

Temperature

Range not established

A dependable species-specific wild temperature range was not established from the reviewed sources, so both values are null.

Size

Up to about 28 cm (11 in) carapace width; leg span over 1.5 m (5 ft)

Its legs can span wider than a doorway

Lifespan

Best-supported wild lifespan is not established.

Life expectancy varies with place, conditions, and what scientists have been able to observe.

01 · Signature adaptation

What does it do?

Juveniles form pods that may contain tens of thousands of crabs. Adults feed mainly on the seafloor, and females move shallower to hatch their eggs.

Its superpowerDense juvenile pods help overwhelm predators through safety in numbers.

02 · Home coordinates

Where does it live?

Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands, Gulf of Alaska, and south to British Columbia; introduced to the Barents Sea.

Regions: Bering Sea · Aleutian Islands · Gulf of Alaska

03 · The menu

What does it eat?

Young crabs eat small organisms and algae; adults crush a broad range of bottom prey.

Omnivore: worms, clams, mussels, barnacles, fish, sea stars, carrion.

04 · Remember this

Two wow facts

Crab supergroups

Young red king crabs can gather in pods containing tens of thousands of individuals.

Sources [1]

Spiny defense

Sharp spines cover the shell and legs, making the crab difficult for many predators to swallow.

Sources [1]