King Crab

King crabs are intricately linked to hermit crabs, and they share the trait of possessing two differently sized claws. The right claw is essentially larger and incorporated to crush things, and the left claw is shorter and shaped to make tearing food apart more comfortable. King crabs are unable to swim. They move around by walking through the ocean floor. “Paralithodes” originates from the Ancient Greek prefix “para,” that implies “beside,” “near” or “nearly resembling,” and the Greek term “lithodes,” that implies “stone-like.” This indicates that king crabs are a part of a group of animals who all contain hard, rigid “stone-like” shells.

Similar to most crab species, king crabs are encapsulated in a thick and heavy shell, which is generally known as a carapace. Moreover, their whole bodies are encompassed in huge, sharp spines for extra protection.

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Image of a king crab

King Crab Scientific Description

King Crab Geographic Locations

King Crab Physical Characteristics Facts

King Crab Conservation Status

The conservation status of Alaskan king crab is Near Threatened.

Types of King Crab

There are basically 3 species of king crab in Alaska i.e. - red king crab, brown king crab and blue king crab. They are found in different regions of Alaskan waters. Most of the king crab garnered in Alaska appears from the Bering Sea. There are smaller fisheries in the Norton Sound north and in the southeast.

1. Red King Crab

Caught in the waters of Norton Sound and Bristol Bay, the true red king crab is the most valued species of crab globally, with high demand from consumers in the US, Japan,  and Europe. Alaska's biggest garner of red king crab occurs in the waters of Bristol Bay. Nearly about 100 boats take part in the fishery and garner millions of pounds over a span of 2 to 3 months. Alive, the red king crab is dark burgundy in color. When cooked they turn bright red- with scarlet-red speckles on the top part of the shell, and particularly around the toes. Taste-wise, true red king crab exhibits excellence in the world. The meat is snow-white, with accents of bright red. During the season, an increasing number of white tablecloth restaurants provide fresh red king crab- a delicious treat. Succulent, and served steaming-hot, there is no other meal one would prefer over.

2. Blue King Crab

Caught in Alaska in the proximity of St. Matthew Island as well as the Pribilof Islands, this species is well-recognized for its sweet meat and rationally giant claws. Pribilof Island blue king crab is among the biggest crabs in the world. In 1988, Dutch Harbor experienced a blue king crab being unloaded at the dock weighing over 18 lbs! An alive, blue king crab is brown with royal blue markings. However, when cooked they turn bright orange-red. This is the reason a blue king crab is usually marketed in the United States as "red king crab". In terms of Taste, blue king crab is similar to red king crab, essentially sweeter, although a little milder in flavor than red. When available in-season, I blue king crab is served hot with its claw size of the claws always amazing to the guests.

3. Golden King Crab

Caught in the waters enclosed in the Aleutian chain islands, golden king crab are actually the smallest of the three main species. The shells of a golden king crab are golden-orange in color. They contain the mildest flavor of the Alaskan king crab and three commercially-harvested types of king crab. Golden king crabs usually have the lowest percentage of meat "infill" on the interior of the shells, and sell for less than red or blue. Since they are one of the most profuse types of crab in Alaska, they are starting to become available fresh in contrast to brine frozen. An increasing number of chefs around the USA are starting to request and serve fresh-cooked golden Alaskan king crab legs.

4. Scarlet King Crab

Though not commercially traded, the Bering Sea also bears a fourth type of king crab called the Scarlet king crab. It is believed that they have extremely sweet meat. Scarlet king crabs have neither the size nor the population to sustain a commercial harvest.

King Crab Appearance

In spite of its name, the red king crab is essentially not red. Live ones are disposed to contain a more orange or burgundy hue. Some can even be brownish-blue in color. The name actually originates owing to the fact that they turn bright red when cooked.

Male king crabs generally grow larger than females, and they can be easily distinguished by their differing body shapes. Female king crabs possess a wide, fan-shaped abdomen, and males consist of a narrow, triangle-shaped abdomen.

King Crab Legs

King crabs possess five pairs of legs. The first pair of crab legs basically functions more like arms, and each consist of a sharp pincer attached to the end. The right claw is bigger and thicker, and it is drafted for crushing. The left claw is shorter, and it is designed to tear apart food.

The fifth set of legs varies from the rest. These legs are shorter and specialized to support the crabs in egg fertilization during mating and cleaning of fertilized eggs after they have been laid.

King Crab Behavior

Outside of mating season, Alaskan king crabs are solitary creatures. However, they have been recognized to group together in the face of huge predators. They will heap up on top of each other in what they call a “pod” in order to look larger and more menacing. These pods can be a bunch of feet high and have stacks of hundreds of crabs.

King Crab Population

King crab populations are closely regulated in order to avoid overfishing. Given that the king crab population oscillations are cyclical, fisheries maintain guidelines in reference to how and when these crabs can be harvested for the purpose of maximizing their chances of reproducing and keeping population numbers high.

For example, fisheries follow the rule of “three S”: size, sex and season. Only male crabs can be harvested, and they should be above a definite size threshold. In addition, they are only permitted to be harvested outside of the mating and molting season. This enables the species to replenish itself.

Populations in the Barents Sea are approximated to be about 20 million, and the numbers in the Bering Sea are little lower.

King Crab Facts

• King crabs are often referred to as Alaskan king crabs, Japanese crabs or red king crabs.

• In addition to being referred to Alaskan king crab or red king crab, it may also be called Kamchatka crab.

• The king crab is one of the most extensive and expansive crab species known to man.

• A king crab can weigh over 11 pounds, which is bulkier than a house cat.

• The heaviest king crab ever discovered weighed 28 pounds. This is approximately the same weight as a miniature corgi or a poodle!

• King crab legs have a total span of over 5 feet, which implies that it can be as long as a human is tall.

• King crabs can only grow bigger through a process referred to as molting in which they shed their old shells and grow newer, bigger ones.

• King crabs can be usually found along the Alaskan coast, in the Bering Sea and in the shallow waters encompassing the coast of Japan.

• King crabs are the most popular crab to eat, and their meat is considered sumptuous in most parts of the world.