King crabs are a type of large crab that can grow to be quite massive in size. Known for their sweet tasty meat and intimidating appearance, king crabs captivate seafood lovers and inspire curiosity about just how big these creatures can get. In this article we’ll take a close look at king crab sizes to answer the question how big is a king crab?
King crabs belong to the taxonomic family Lithodidae and are closely related to hermit crabs. There are around 15 different genera of king crabs, divided into two subfamilies – Hapalogastrinae and Lithodinae. Hapalogastrinae king crabs live exclusively in shallow waters of the North Pacific, while Lithodinae king crabs have a global distribution and live in deep waters.
Some of the most well-known king crab species targeted by commercial fisheries include red king crabs (Paralithodes camtschaticus), blue king crabs (Paralithodes platypus), and golden king crabs (Lithodes aequispinus) Other king crab species are also fished on smaller scales.
King crabs are decapod crustaceans, meaning they have 10 legs. They have a hard exoskeleton, five pairs of legs, and a distinctive fan-shaped abdomen. The front pair of legs ends in claws, with the right claw usually being larger. King crabs use their small fifth pair of legs to clean their embryos.
Record sizes of King Crab Species
The maximum sizes recorded for different king crab species provides insight into just how big these crustaceans can grow:
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Red king crabs – The largest red king crab on record weighed 24 pounds and had a leg span of nearly 5 feet.
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Blue king crabs – Can reach up to 20 pounds.
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Golden king crabs – Can grow up to 10 pounds.
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Spider crabs – A related species that can have leg spans over 12 feet.
So in terms of sheer mass, king crabs can surpass 20 pounds, with 5 feet leg spans.
Average King Crab Sizes
While record sizes give the upper limit, most king crabs caught are significantly smaller than the maximum sizes. Here are some averages:
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Male red king crabs – Around 6 to 10 pounds, with carapace length up to 8 inches and leg span around 4 feet.
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Female red king crabs – Around 3 to 5 pounds, with carapace length up to 5.5 inches
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Male blue king crabs – 5 to 8 pound range.
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Female blue king crabs – 3 to 5 pounds.
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Male golden king crabs – Around 4 to 6 pounds typically.
So while giant king crabs over 20 pounds exist, the majority weigh less than 10 pounds. Still impressively large compared to most seafood!
King Crab Size Regulations
Commercial king crab fisheries have minimum size limits to allow crabs to reach maturity and reproduce before being harvested. Common minimum legal sizes include:
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Red king crab – At least 6.5 inches carapace width. This corresponds to around a 5-6 pound male.
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Blue king crab – Minimum widths of 5.5 to 6 inches for males depending on the fishery, targeting crabs over 4 pounds.
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Golden king crab – Minimum 4.8 inch carapace width.
Legal minimums seek to balance harvesting larger mature crabs with allowing some harvest of smaller individuals. Limits help maintain sustainable populations of these ecologically and economically important crustaceans.
Growth Rate and Lifespan
King crabs grow by molting their exoskeleton. They molt frequently when young, then less often as adults. Maximum growth happens around ages 8 to 10. Total lifespan is approximately 20 to 30 years for red king crabs.
Rapid juvenile growth allows king crabs to outgrow potential predators. Their large maximum size also decreases the number of predators able to prey on mature adult king crabs.
King Crab Size Differences Between Sexes
Male king crabs grow substantially larger than female crabs of the same species. This size dimorphism is due to:
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Males having more molt cycles as they don’t expend energy on reproduction.
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Male secondary sexual characteristics being advantageous for competing with other males for mates.
Larger body and claw size help males fight off rival males during mating. The large size difference between the sexes is unique to king crabs and can be used to distinguish males from females.
Changes After Molting
Following molting, a king crab’s new shell initially has a lot of room to grow into. Right after molting, a king crab may be up to 30% larger than it was prior to the molt. Over the following days and weeks, the new shell hardens and the body grows to fill it out.
Recently molted king crabs have soft shells and are vulnerable to predation. Their meat also has higher water content. Commercial fishing prohibits harvest of soft-shell crabs to allow hardening.
King Crab Legs Sizes
Since king crab legs are the typical way most people eat king crab, their leg sizes are also useful to consider:
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Extra large legs – 0.8 to 1.25 lbs per leg
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Large legs – Around 0.5 to 0.75 lbs per leg
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Medium legs – Roughly 0.25 to 0.5 lbs per leg
For serving sizes, count on around 0.5 to 1 lb of meat per person. Larger legs are easier to crack and have higher meat to shell ratios.
While king crabs can occasionally reach behemoth sizes exceeding 20 pounds, most are between 3 to 10 pounds. Still impressively massive compared to other seafood options. Strict fishery management ensures populations remain sustainable so these titans of the crustacean world continue to thrive for generations to come.
King Crab vs. Snow Crab: Are They Different In Size?
When you look at these two crabs, size will be the core element that helps you to distinguish between them. As stated in its name, king crab is obviously a big creature, and it is clearly bigger than the snow crab. So far, the largest king crab that fishermen have ever found reached 20 pounds and was 5 feet long! However, generally a king crab weighs about 6 pounds while a snow crab weighs from 2 to 4 pounds. Since a king crab is bigger in total size, the legs are bigger and thicker than those of the snow crab, whose legs are longer but slimmer.
Here’s another tip that helps you distinguish between the two types of crab: the number of legs a crab has can tell you which kind of crab it is. Specifically, king crab has 3 pairs of legs and 2 big claws, while a snow crab has 4 pairs of legs and 2 claws.
Taste and Texture of King Crab vs Snow Crab
The name “snow” crab was given due to its meat texture. When being cooked, snow crab turns from red to snowy white. Furthermore, the texture of the snow crab is firm and tends to be more fibrous, which makes it easier to shred into small pieces, like corned beef.
For the king crab, those thicker legs provide seafood lovers with large, firm chunks of white meat.
When you’re trying to get delicious meat out of a crab leg, approach king crab with caution. King crab legs are thicker and lined with spikes that require a crab cracker tool for best results.
Snow crabs, on the other hand, have legs that are soft enough to crack open with your bare hands. Remember not to apply too much pressure or you’ll shred the delicate snow crab meat within.
When it comes to the flavor “battle” of king crab vs. snow crab, which one wins? That’s a difficult to answer question, since each type has its own advantages. In other words, the answer obviously depends primarily on your tasting preferences.
King crab has an undeniable reputation for its flavor. One bite will usually turn anyone’s taste bud into an undying fan. It has a sweet, mild flavor, and is often compared to lobster.
Snow crab meat is also sweet, but bears a subtle briny flavor not found in king crab.
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FAQ
How big is a full grown king crab?
Biology. Red king crabs can grow to be very large, up to 24 pounds with a leg span of 5 feet. Males grow faster and larger than females. Female red king crabs reproduce once a year and release between 50,000 and 500,000 eggs.
How many legs is 1 pound of king crab?
One pound of king crab legs typically contains between 1 and 3 legs. The exact number can vary depending on the size of the legs.
How big is a king crab?
When it comes to king crab dimensions, two key stats are carapace (shell) width and leg span. Red king crabs are renowned as the largest species. Their carapace can reach up to 28 cm (11 inches) across. Compare that to a dinner plate – it’s bigger than some people’s heads!
How much does a red king crab weigh?
The red king crab is the largest species of king crab with a carapace of 7 inches and a mass of 6 lbs. They are capable of having their carapace reach 11 inches and can weigh as much as 28 lbs although it is rare. Red king crabs are named after the color they turn when cooked but can be brownish to blueish red and are covered in sharp spikes.
How big is a king crab carapace?
The carapace width of king crabs can vary depending on the species. The largest species of king crab is the Colossal King Crab, which can have a carapace width of up to 28 inches (71 cm). Jumbo King Crabs are also quite large, with a carapace width of up to 18 inches (46 cm).
What is the leg span of a king crab?
The leg span of king crabs can also vary depending on the species. The largest species of king crab is the Colossal King Crab, which can have a leg span of up to 9 feet (2.7 m). Jumbo King Crabs have a leg span of up to 6 feet (1.8 m). King crabs are also known for their impressive size.
What is a king crab?
King crabs are not to be confused with coconut crabs (Birgus latro), which are not true crabs but are a type of land-living hermit crab that can grow up to 3 feet in length and weigh up to 9 pounds (King crabs of the world: biology and fisheries management). King crabs are known for their large size and impressive physical characteristics.
What is the largest red king crab ever recorded?
The largest Red King Crab ever recorded was caught in the Bering Sea in 1977. It weighed 28 pounds and had a leg span of 5 feet. This is still an impressive size for a crab, but it falls short of the record held by the Giant Spider Crab. Despite this, Red King Crabs have been known to break records in other ways.