Other Saltwater
Dungeness Crab
Cancer magister
SaltwaterCancridaeLeast Concern
About
The Dungeness crab is a commercially important crab species characterized by its wide, oval-shaped carapace. It is a benthic species, typically found on sandy or muddy bottoms, where it buries itself to avoid predators and ambush prey.
- Average size
- Up to 9 inches across the carapace
- Colors
- Typically reddish-brown to purplish-brown on the dorsal side, with a creamy white or yellowish underside.
- Diet
- Carnivorous, feeding on clams, small crabs, shrimp, worms, and dead fish.
- Region
- West Coast of North America, from Alaska to California.