Red king crab
Paralithodes camtschaticus
- Scientific name
- Paralithodes camtschaticus
- Group
- Crustaceans
- Rarity
- Epic
- Where to see it
- Cold / polar waters
- Conservation status (IUCN)
- Not evaluated
Did you know?
The red king crab can weigh more than 10 kilograms and technically has only six visible legs out of eight, since its last pair is reduced and tucked under its shell.
What defines this group — Crustaceans
Armoured arthropods: crabs, shrimp and lobsters, all built around an external shell.
- The skeleton is on the outside; growing means shedding it — the moult.
- Jointed legs in pairs, often reshaped into claws or antennae.
- The larvae drift with the plankton in open water before settling on the bottom.
Other species in this group
- Common hermit crab
- Green shore crab
- Caribbean spiny lobster
- Skunk cleaner shrimp
- Spinous spider crab
- Common prawn