Puget Sound king crab (Lopholithodes mandtii)
Not to be confused with the Alaska version, the Puget Sound king is one of the largest crabs in the Salish Sea and can grow to 30 cm across its carapace (hard upper shell). This crab is often described as an underwater “mini army tank” because of its thick, chunky exoskeleton which looks like its covered in bony warts and cone-shaped projections. It is also known as a master of disguise because of how its colours blend so well with its surroundings. As a youngster, it starts off with a bright orange shell which makes it easy to spot. As it ages, the orange fades, and bright red, yellow, blue and purple blotches emerge which help it camaflouge with the rocks found in Puget Sound. The easiest way to find the crab in an aquarium is to look for a colourful rock with legs!
Juvenile crabs are brilliant orange
The Puget Sound king crab evolved millions of years ago from the hermit crab and they are commonly described as hermit crabs that no longer carry around their shells. The larval forms are almost identical and the adult crabs share many similarities such as being right-handed. Both have huge, over-sized right claws that are designed to crush food such as large banacles, sea urchins, anemones, and sea stars (apparantly the giant Sunflower star is a favourite). These large right claws have what look like human molars along the top and bottom which are used to crush and grind its prey. The much smaller left claw can close without gaps making it more like a spoon that can be used for scraping rather than crushing.
Check out my HUGE right claw complete with teeth
Unlike most crabs of the Pacific Northwest that walk on all four pairs of legs, the Puget Sound king crab only walks on three pairs of legs with the fourth pair hidden in its large carapace. This makes the crab look very lop-sided when it walks. They like to dwell in rocky sub-tidal habitats with strong currents to 140 metres in depth. Divers often find them clinging to vertical walls or perched on top of small ledges. During breeding season in late winter to spring, these crabs can be found in shallower waters. Although they are named after Puget Sound, an inlet found in northwestern Washington State, they can be found from Sitka, Alaska down to Monteray, California.
http://www.vanaqua.org/files/3513/8081/6664/Puget_Sound_king_crab.pdf
http://www.centralcoastbiodiversity.org/puget-sound-king-crab-bull-lopholithodes-mandtii.html
http://www.advanceddivermagazine.com/articles/kingcrab/kingcrab.html
Not to be confused with the Alaska version, the Puget Sound king is one of the largest crabs in the Salish Sea and can grow to 30 cm across its carapace (hard upper shell). This crab is often described as an underwater “mini army tank” because of its thick, chunky exoskeleton which looks like its covered in bony warts and cone-shaped projections. It is also known as a master of disguise because of how its colours blend so well with its surroundings. As a youngster, it starts off with a bright orange shell which makes it easy to spot. As it ages, the orange fades, and bright red, yellow, blue and purple blotches emerge which help it camaflouge with the rocks found in Puget Sound. The easiest way to find the crab in an aquarium is to look for a colourful rock with legs!
Juvenile crabs are brilliant orange
The Puget Sound king crab evolved millions of years ago from the hermit crab and they are commonly described as hermit crabs that no longer carry around their shells. The larval forms are almost identical and the adult crabs share many similarities such as being right-handed. Both have huge, over-sized right claws that are designed to crush food such as large banacles, sea urchins, anemones, and sea stars (apparantly the giant Sunflower star is a favourite). These large right claws have what look like human molars along the top and bottom which are used to crush and grind its prey. The much smaller left claw can close without gaps making it more like a spoon that can be used for scraping rather than crushing.
Check out my HUGE right claw complete with teeth
Unlike most crabs of the Pacific Northwest that walk on all four pairs of legs, the Puget Sound king crab only walks on three pairs of legs with the fourth pair hidden in its large carapace. This makes the crab look very lop-sided when it walks. They like to dwell in rocky sub-tidal habitats with strong currents to 140 metres in depth. Divers often find them clinging to vertical walls or perched on top of small ledges. During breeding season in late winter to spring, these crabs can be found in shallower waters. Although they are named after Puget Sound, an inlet found in northwestern Washington State, they can be found from Sitka, Alaska down to Monteray, California.
http://www.vanaqua.org/files/3513/8081/6664/Puget_Sound_king_crab.pdf
http://www.centralcoastbiodiversity.org/puget-sound-king-crab-bull-lopholithodes-mandtii.html
http://www.advanceddivermagazine.com/articles/kingcrab/kingcrab.html
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