The Dungeness crab is an iconic seafood delicacy along the Pacific coast of North America With its spiky shell and intimidating pincers, this large crab has a very distinctive look But what exactly does a Dungeness crab look like?
In this article, we’ll provide a complete visual guide to the Dungeness crab’s appearance We’ll cover details on their size, shape, color, claws, legs, eyes, and other identifiable features. Read on for everything you need to know to easily recognize these crustaceans!
The Distinctive Body Shape
The most recognizable characteristic of a Dungeness crab is its wide, oval-shaped body and shell. Their carapace (top shell) extends out sideways well beyond the legs, creating that classic crab silhouette.
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Dungeness crabs are one of the larger crab species, typically measuring 6-10 inches across at maturity. Their body alone is around 4 inches wide.
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They have a very broad, triangular shaped body that is much wider than it is long. This gives them an almost alien-like or prehistoric appearance.
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When seen scuttling along the ocean floor, their distinct body shape makes them easy to identify as Dungeness crabs. No other species has quite the same profile.
Color: Reddish-Brown with White Tipped Legs
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The shell of a Dungeness crab is a deep reddish-brown color, similar to the shade of an old copper penny.
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The carapace has a mottled look, with small white or gray flecks speckled across it. There are also some lighter patches along the sides.
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The legs are banded with sections of white, brown, and reddish-orange. The tips of the legs are white, making them look like they were dipped in paint.
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The underside of the crab is a lighter beige or yellowish hue.
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The two front claws are the same dark reddish-brown as the main shell and have black banding on the tips.
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Overall, the coloration provides great camouflage when the crab is hiding amongst the equally colorful plants and animals on the seafloor.
Large, Uneven Front Claws
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Dungeness crabs have two large front claws that are key for defense and catching prey. The claws are called chelipeds.
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The claws are uneven in size. The crab’s dominant crusher claw is usually on the right side and is bigger and stronger than the other claw.
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The bumpy, armored claws can grow to very large sizes at maturity, sometimes over 3 inches long!
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The rear legs end in much smaller claws called dactyls. But the large front chelipeds are the most notable claws.
Ten Spindly Walking Legs
In addition to its two front chelipeds, the Dungeness crab has four pairs of long, slender walking legs. These are called pereopods.
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The rear two pairs are paddle or scoop-shaped at the ends to propel swimming. They can grow up to 5 inches long.
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The front two pairs end in tiny pincers or dactyls for grasping food.
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In total, the ten legs give the crab excellent mobility and gripping ability to scuttle along the ocean floor.
Eyes on Short Stalks
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Dungeness crabs have two large, bulbous compound eyes. These eyes sit on short eyestalks that extend out from the front of the carapace.
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This gives the crab a wide range of 360-degree vision to detect predators or food approaching from any direction.
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Between the eyes are two short antennae that help detect chemicals in the water and give the crab a sense of smell.
Distinctive Markings on the Tail Flap
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The abdomen (tail section) of a Dungeness crab is narrower than the wide carapace and folds underneath the body for protection.
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It features a distinctive marking pattern. There is a large, central black spot outlined in white and orange on the center of the tail flap.
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More black and white banding extends down the sides of the abdomen.
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On mature female crabs, the abdomen is wider and rounded to accommodate carrying eggs. This makes identifying the female crabs easy.
How to Determine a Dungeness Crab’s Gender
Speaking of males and females, here are some tips for determining the gender of Dungeness crabs:
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Females have a wide, dome-shaped abdomen while males have a narrow triangular abdomen. This is the easiest identifier.
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Males tend to have larger claws, especially the dominant crusher claw.
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Mature females are often slightly smaller on average than males.
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The flap shape differs – males have a narrow triangular flap, females have a rounded oval one.
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Look at the markings – males have more defined black tipping on the claws.
Molting Allows Growth
One unique aspect of crabs is that they have to periodically shed their exoskeleton in order to grow larger. This process is called molting or ecdysis.
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Prior to molting, a new soft shell forms under the hard outer shell. This allows the crab to expand in size after discarding the old shell.
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During molting the crab is extremely vulnerable, since its new shell is soft and unprotected for weeks until it fully hardens.
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Young crabs may molt frequently, up to 8 times in their first two years. Then the frequency decreases with age.
Where Are Dungeness Crabs Found?
Dungeness crabs inhabit coastal waters ranging from Alaska down to California along the Pacific coastline:
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They are named after the town of Dungeness, Washington where they were commercially fished starting in the 1800s.
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The crab is abundantly found throughout Puget Sound, Hood Canal, and the coastal waters of Washington state.
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Further south, they frequent bays and estuaries along the Oregon and California coast.
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They prefer sandy or muddy bottom habitat and are often found in or near eelgrass beds.
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Dungeness crabs occur from the intertidal zone down to depths of 300 feet offshore.
Buying Tips for Fresh Dungeness Crab
When buying freshly cooked or live Dungeness crab, here are some tips for choosing high-quality, flavorful crab:
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Look for crabs that are active and feisty in tanks – not sluggish or still. Their legs should curl under when picked up.
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Make sure the shell has no cracks, missing limbs, or puncture holes.
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The underside should look clean, not covered in debris or marine growth.
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Fresh crab has a mild ocean or seaweed-like smell. Avoid any with a strong fishy or ammonia odor.
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The eyes should be shiny black and clear, not cloudy or milky colored.
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For live crabs, it’s ideal to cook them within 1-2 days for the best flavor. Cooked crab lasts 3-4 days refrigerated.
Now that you know what to look for, you’ll be able to easily identify Dungeness crabs during your next seafood shopping trip or restaurant meal. Their distinctive shape, color, claws, and markings make them stand out from other crab varieties. Understanding their key features is helpful whether encountering them whole on the dock or served up cracked open on your plate.
Size and Sex Determination
The legal measurement for Dungeness crab in Alaska is shoulder width, measured across the back of the carapace between the two notches immediately anterior to the tenth anterolateral spine, also known as “notch to notch”. Only male Dungeness crab may be taken and sex can be determined from the shape of the crab’s abdomen. Females have a slightly rounded abdomen while males have a triangle-shaped abdomen. This becomes very pronounced when females mature into their egg-bearing developmental stage but is slightly less obvious for younger stages. The legal size for Dungeness crab in Alaska is 6.5 inches notch to notch.
There are eight congeners (same genus) to the Dungeness crab. Several of these, the European edible crab, Cancer pagurus, Jonah crab, Cancer borealis, and Atlantic rock crab, Cancer irroratus, are commercially harvested. The red rock crab, Cancer productus, is harvested by sport fishermen in Oregon.
Dungeness crab mate from spring through fall. Males are polygamous––each male crab may mate with more than one female. This may be an important factor in maintaining the reproductive viability of this species because only male crab can be harvested. Male crab only mate with female crab that have just molted (shed their old exoskeleton). Fertilization of eggs occurs about a month after mating when the female’s shell has hardened; until this time, the female crab stores the sperm in internal pouches especially designed for this purpose. Females can store sperm for as long as 2 years and old, large females will often use stored sperm to fertilize their eggs rather than molting and mating. The female extrudes eggs through pores on her ventral surface; they are fertilized as they pass through the stored sperm and adhere to hairs on the abdominal appendages where they are carried until hatching. A large female Dungeness crab can carry 2.5 million eggs.
After hatching, crab zoea larvae are planktonic and swim away freely. Larval development takes from 4 months to as long as a year in Alaska. Six successive larval stages (5 zoea and 1 megalopa) occur before the crab molts into the first juvenile stage. Crabs grow each time they molt. During the first two years both sexes grow at similar rates, but after two years males grow more quickly than females. Sexual maturity may be reached at three years. The legal size of 6.5 inches in shell width can be reached at four to five years of age, at which time the crab will weigh between 2 and 3 pounds. A large male Dungeness crab can exceed 10 inches in shell width. The estimated maximum life span is from 8 to 13 years.
Dungeness crab are widely distributed subtidally and prefer a sandy or muddy bottom in marine waters. However, they are tolerant of salinity changes and can be found in estuarine environments. They are most abundant in waters shallower than 30 meters, but have been found as deep as 200 meters.
Dungeness crab foraging behavior coincides with their habitat. These crab scavenge along the sea floor for organisms that live partly or completely buried in the sand. They are both scavengers and predators, and their diet can include bivalves, worms, shrimp, fish, and small crab.
Dungeness crab are distributed from the Aleutian Islands to Magdalena Bay, Mexico.
Alaska Department of Fish and Game
Jump to species:
Female Dungeness crab in Alaskan waters starve themselves during the six or more months during which they carry eggs. Perhaps because of this extended starvation period, Dungeness in Alaska produce eggs only every other year.
The Dungeness crab, Cancer magister/ syn. Metacarcinus magister, inhabits bays, estuaries, and the nearshore coast of Alaska. The species is named after one of its representative habitats––a shallow, sandy bay inside of Dungeness Spit on the south shore of the Straits of Juan de Fuca. It is widely distributed, and can be found as far north as the Aleutian Islands and as far south as Magdalena Bay, Mexico. This crab supports commercial personal use and sport fisheries in Alaska. The Dungeness crab is a decapod, related to shrimp, lobster, and other crab. It has a broad, oval body covered by a hard chitinous shell, four pairs of walking legs and a pair of claws. This species can be distinguished from other commercially important crab (king and Tanner crab) because its legs are much smaller and shorter in relation to its body size and because the dorsal surface of its carapace is smooth and spineless.
Facts: The Dungeness Crab
FAQ
What is so special about Dungeness crab?
Dungeness crab is special due to its sweet, succulent, and delicate meat, which is considered among the best-tasting crab meat. Its unique flavor profile, a balance of sweetness and subtle saltiness, makes it a favorite for seafood lovers.
How to identify a Dungeness crab?
Best identification characters: White tipped claws. Ten carapace spines (widest at 10th) Color reddish-brown to purple.Feb 13, 2024
Does Dungeness crab taste like regular crab?
Dungeness crab is known for its sweet, delicate flavor and tender, flaky meat. The taste is often described as mildly sweet, with a slightly briny undertone, reflecting its ocean habitat. The meat has a buttery texture and is often considered more flavorful than some other crab varieties, such as blue crab.
Which one is better, Dungeness or snow crab?
If you want a meal with more delicate flavor, Dungeness is your pick. Prefer slightly sweet, firmer meat with easier access? Then snow crab is your go-to.May 28, 2025
How big do Dungeness crabs get?
Dungeness typically grow 6–7 in (150–180 mm) at their widest point and inhabit eelgrass beds and sandy bottoms. Its common name comes from the Dungeness Spit in the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Washington state, United States, which shelters a shallow bay inhabited by the crabs.
How many claws does a dungeness crab have?
Dungeness crabs have four pairs of armored legs, two claws, and a wide, hard shell. A Dungeness’s legs are shorter compared to other commercial crabs and their claws have a distinctive hook. The claws of the crab are used both as defense and to tear apart large food items.
What is a dungeness crab?
The Dungeness crab is considered a delicacy in the United States and Canada. Long before the area was settled by Europeans, Indigenous peoples throughout the crustacean’s range had the crab as a traditional part of their diet and harvested them every year at low tide.
What do Dungeness crabs eat?
The diets of Dungeness Crabs can include small clams, mussels, oysters, fish, shrimp, and worms. Additionally, they scavenge the seafloor for organisms that reside both partly and entirely within the sand. The most common predators of Dungeness Crab include halibut, octopus, other crab species, sculpins, and sea otters.
How much do Dungeness crab pots weigh?
The pots can weigh up to 150 pounds — giving deckhands who handle them quite the workout. For years, Dungeness crab has been one of the most valuable fisheries for California’s seafood industry.
Do Dungeness crabs molt?
As noted above, Dungeness crab must have a 6.25-inch shell diameter to be kept aboard fishing vessels, and they must also be male without soft shells (meaning a recent molt). Small crab, females, and “softies” are sorted on deck and dropped down to the bottom to resume their undersea lives.