Crab
Crabs are crustaceans with a hard shell, strong claws and a wide, flat body. Many live on the sea floor and in estuaries, where they hunt and scavenge.
Key numbers
Atlantic blue crab (Callinectes sapidus)
| Shell width | up to 23 cm (9 in)(fisheries.noaa.gov) |
|---|---|
| Weight | 150–500 g (5.3–17.6 oz)(fisheries.noaa.gov) |
| Lifespan (wild) | 1–4 years(animaldiversity.org) |
| Diet | Eats almost anything it can catch or find: clams, oysters, mussels, small crustaceans, dead fish and plant material. It will also eat smaller or soft-shelled blue crabs.(fisheries.noaa.gov) |
| Habitat | Ocean: Native to the Atlantic coast of the Americas from Nova Scotia to Argentina, including the Gulf.(fisheries.noaa.gov) |
Sources give different figures for some of these numbers; we show the range they support.
Our full crab profile is on the way. Meanwhile, see it next to a person, to scale.