Dungeness Crab

The Dungeness crab, Metacarcinus magister formerly Cancer magister , is a species of crab that inhabits eelgrass beds and water bottoms on the west coast of North America. It typically grows to 20 160 cm 7.9 in across the carapace and is a popular seafood.

The carapace width of mature Dungeness crabs may reach 25 160 centimetres 9.8 in in some areas off the coast of Washington, but are typically under 20 160 centimetres 7.9 in . 2 They are a popular delicacy, and are the most commercially important crab in the Pacific Northwest, western Canada, as well as the western states generally. 3 The annual Dungeness Crab and Seafood Festival is held in Port Angeles each October.

Dungeness crabs have a wide, long, hard shell, which they must periodically moult to grow this process is called ecdysis. They have five pairs of legs, which are similarly armoured, the foremost pair of which ends in claws that the crab uses both as defence and to tear apart large food items. The crab uses its smaller appendages to pass the food particles into its mouth. Once inside the crab's stomach, food is further digested by the "gastric mill", a collection of tooth-like structures. Metacarcinus magister prefers to eat clams, other crustaceans and small fish, but is also an effective scavenger. Dungeness crabs can also bury themselves completely in the sand if threatened.

The safest place to hold the Dungeness crab is its back. Although the hind part of the crab is commonly used to pick up the crab, their claws can sometimes reach the holder's hand.

Males are attracted to potential mates by pheromones present in the urine of female Dungeness crabs. Upon locating an available female, the male initiates a protective pre-mating embrace that lasts for several days. In this embrace, the female is tucked underneath the male, oriented such that their abdomens touch and their heads face each other. Mating occurs only after the female has moulted, and the female signals her readiness to moult by urinating on or near the antennae of the male. The female extrudes the eggs from her body several months later however, they remain attached under her abdomen for three to five months until they hatch. Young crabs are free-swimming after hatching, and go through five larval stages before reaching maturity after about ten moults or two years.