Crab Species
There are 6,793 species of crabs. Seehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crab We will focus on those most common for food. We are a proud sponsor of Wikipedia a great source of information.
The number of species is probably from The Raffles Bulletin of Zoology, 2008 17: 1-286. It also point out that this number of species includes 810 crab species recorded from 1991 to 2000.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Crustacea
Class: Malacostraca
Order: Decpoda
Suborder: Pleocyemata
Infraorder Brachyura (True Crabs)
The number of species is probably from The Raffles Bulletin of Zoology, 2008 17: 1-286. It also point out that this number of species includes 810 crab species recorded from 1991 to 2000.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Crustacea
Class: Malacostraca
Order: Decpoda
Suborder: Pleocyemata
Infraorder Brachyura (True Crabs)
Family: Portunidae Cancridae Menippiciae Oregoniidae Portunidae Portunidae
Genus: Callinectes Metacarcinus Menippe Chronoecetes Portunus Portunus
Species: C.Sapidus M.Magister M.Mercenaria C. Opilio* P. Triuberculatus P. Pelagicus
Common: Blue Crab Dungeness Stone Crab Snow Crab Horse Crab Flower Crab
Genus: Callinectes Metacarcinus Menippe Chronoecetes Portunus Portunus
Species: C.Sapidus M.Magister M.Mercenaria C. Opilio* P. Triuberculatus P. Pelagicus
Common: Blue Crab Dungeness Stone Crab Snow Crab Horse Crab Flower Crab
Family: Geryonidae Cancridae Cancridae Portunidae
Genus: Chaceon Cancer Cancer Scylla
Species: Quinquedens C.Pagurus C.Borealis S.Serrata
Common: Deep Sea Red Crab Brown Crab Jonah Crab Mud Crab
There are 5 species of Snow Crab, Latin: Chionoecetes opilio; C.hairdi, C. tanneri, C. japonicus The market name of snow crab applies to four species, the Latin names of which are listed above. The snow crab is a member of the spider crab family. Snow crabs can grow to about 2.5 kg (5 lbs) and 60 cm (2 ft) in length. C. opilio is also know as queen crab, and is known as "opies" in Alaska. C. hairdi, which is twice as large as C. opilio has been substituted for king crab during the years of king crab shortage. The C. hairdi are also known as tanner crabs.
The King Crab is not a true crab and is classified in the Infraorder Anomura and consists of about 113 species.
The California Rock Crab is actually made up of four different species: Rock Crab (cancer antennarius), Slender Crab (c. gracillis),Red Crab (c. productus), and Yellow Crab (c. jordani). There are also three additional species of this family: c. oregonensis, c. amphioatus, and c. gibbosulus. See California Department of Fish and Game for a detailed description.
The Jonah Crab (c. borealis) is similar to the Dungeness and Rock crabs. It is found in the Atlantic and because it is cheaper and more plentiful than either the Blue crab or the Dungeness it is becoming more popular. Many people eat only the claws
The Mud Crab also known as the mangrove crab or the black crab is an important crab economically in Asia, Australia, and Africa. This crab (scylla serrata) is most often cooked with the shell on when they molt their shells and are considered a delicacy as are soft shelled crab in the Chesepeake area.
The Horse Crab, also known as the Japanese Blue Crab is the most popular crab in the world. It is found in East Asia and accounts for about 25% of all crab caught for food.
The Flower Crab, also known as the Blue Crab, Blue Swimmer Crab, Blue Manna Crab and Sand Crab is somewhat smaller than our Atlantic Blue Crab. It is found in the Pacific and Indian oceans off the coast of Africa, Southeast Asia, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.
The Deep Sea Red Crab is a certified Sustainable Seafood found mostly off the Northeastern U.S.
The Brown Crab, also known as the Edible Crab is mostly caught off the British Isles.
Lump crab is not a species but rather the term refers to crab meat that is not from the claws. Lump crab also sometimes refer to the leg meat from Blue crabs. Some people think lump crab is the best part of the crab because the crab is exercising its legs and they think the claw meat is second rate. I like both the claw meat and the lump crab meat.
For a short list of Crab Jargon see Crab Lingo.
The King Crab is not a true crab and is classified in the Infraorder Anomura and consists of about 113 species.
The California Rock Crab is actually made up of four different species: Rock Crab (cancer antennarius), Slender Crab (c. gracillis),Red Crab (c. productus), and Yellow Crab (c. jordani). There are also three additional species of this family: c. oregonensis, c. amphioatus, and c. gibbosulus. See California Department of Fish and Game for a detailed description.
The Jonah Crab (c. borealis) is similar to the Dungeness and Rock crabs. It is found in the Atlantic and because it is cheaper and more plentiful than either the Blue crab or the Dungeness it is becoming more popular. Many people eat only the claws
The Mud Crab also known as the mangrove crab or the black crab is an important crab economically in Asia, Australia, and Africa. This crab (scylla serrata) is most often cooked with the shell on when they molt their shells and are considered a delicacy as are soft shelled crab in the Chesepeake area.
The Horse Crab, also known as the Japanese Blue Crab is the most popular crab in the world. It is found in East Asia and accounts for about 25% of all crab caught for food.
The Flower Crab, also known as the Blue Crab, Blue Swimmer Crab, Blue Manna Crab and Sand Crab is somewhat smaller than our Atlantic Blue Crab. It is found in the Pacific and Indian oceans off the coast of Africa, Southeast Asia, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.
The Deep Sea Red Crab is a certified Sustainable Seafood found mostly off the Northeastern U.S.
The Brown Crab, also known as the Edible Crab is mostly caught off the British Isles.
Lump crab is not a species but rather the term refers to crab meat that is not from the claws. Lump crab also sometimes refer to the leg meat from Blue crabs. Some people think lump crab is the best part of the crab because the crab is exercising its legs and they think the claw meat is second rate. I like both the claw meat and the lump crab meat.
For a short list of Crab Jargon see Crab Lingo.