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Animal profile

Red King Crab

Paralithodes camtschaticus

MalacostracaCold continental shelf waters over mud, sand and gravel, mostly shallower than 200 metres

Field profile

The red king crab is the largest of the commercially fished king crabs, with a carapace up to about 28 centimetres and a leg span approaching two metres. It supports valuable fisheries in Alaska and Russia. Juveniles form dense aggregations called pods, sometimes containing thousands of individuals.

Scope note

This is an editorial profile, not a diagnostic field-identification guide or a substitute for current conservation assessments. Follow the cited sources on each fact for the evidence trail.

Published field notes

2026-07-21

Red King Crab

The king crab is not a true crab

King crabs belong to the hermit crab lineage, not to the true crabs. The evidence is in the count: a king crab walks on three visible pairs of legs, because the fourth pair is reduced and tucked inside the gill chamber.

Read with evidence →

Red King Crab | Daily Animal Facts