King Crab

The King Crab belongs to the family Lithodidae. This crab-like decapod is a crustacean that can be found on sandy or rocky substrate in the cold waters of the North Pacific Ocean. The King Crab is a massive creature for a crustacean. They have a carapace about 11 in. across. Their body is covered with an exoskeleton that has short, hard spines all over (means of protection). This creature's legs can grow an astonishing 6 ft. tall! They exhibit sexual dimorphism in the males being larger than the females (largest on record is 28 lbs.!). Since the King Crab cannot swim, it uses its 5 pairs of long legs to walk across the ocean floor. King crabs are a species that molts. In order for the crab to grow, it needs to molt. What they will do is build up a new skeleton, bigger and stronger, on the inside of the present shell. Once it’s new shell is big enough it will start to split open the old one and there will be a new shell that will further harden. They must be careful after molting. For several days after they molt, their exoskeleton is very soft and vulnerable to predation.

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