Edible Crab ©Linda Pitkin/2020VISION

Edible crab

Also known as the brown crab, this large crab is found around all UK shores and is identifiable by the distinctive pie-crust edge to its brown shell.

Scientific name

Cancer pagurus

When to see

January to December

Species information

Statistics

Width of body: 10-20cm

Conservation status

Common

Habitats

About

The edible crab is a large crab, brown in colour apart from black tips on the end of its claws. It is sometimes known as the brown crab. They have a thick, oval shaped shell (carapace) with a distinctive pie crust edge.

They live on the lower shore and out under the sea to about 100m depth. On rocky shores, they are normally hidden away under boulders. It is an active predator and will feast on mussels, whelks and even smaller crabs. They are also known to dig for prey such as razor clams and otter shells.

How to identify

A large orangey-brown crab with black tipped pincers. Their shells have a distinctive pie-crust edge.

Distribution

Found around all UK coasts.

Did you know?

The edible crab is the most commercially important species of crab in Europe: 10,000 tonnes of edible crab are harvested from the English Channel every year.

How people can help

When rockpooling, be careful to leave everything as you found it - replace any rocks you turn over, put back any crabs or fish and ensure not to scrape anything off its rocky home.