Animal Profiles
Crustaceans

Dungeness Crab

Metacarcinus magister

Living

Living individuals or members of this group exist today. This does not mean they are safe from extinction.

The Dungeness crab inhabits the Pacific coast of North America. It searches soft seabeds for shellfish and often buries itself during daylight.

Metacarcinus magister

At a glance

Location
Pacific North American coastal waters, especially sandy bottoms and eelgrass habitat.
Habitat
Coast
Diet
Carnivore
Food
Clams, other crustaceans and fish.

Classification

Common name
Dungeness Crab
Browse group
Crustaceans
Scientific name or taxon
Metacarcinus magister
Taxon rank
species
Order
Decapoda
Family
Cancridae
Genus
Metacarcinus
Source classification
Malacostraca

Taxonomy checked against GBIF. For breeds and hybrids, this describes the listed parent taxon.

Three things to know

  • The claw tips are white.
  • It can bury itself in the seabed.
  • Clams form an important part of its diet.

Habitat and range

Pacific North American coastal waters, especially sandy bottoms and eelgrass habitat.

Appearance and adaptations

White claw tips contrast with the purple-brown shell. The broad carapace has prominent marginal teeth, including a conspicuous tooth near its widest point.

Diet and behaviour

Clams are an important food, alongside smaller crustaceans and fish. By day, buried individuals may leave only their eyes and antennae above the sediment.

Sources

Explore crustaceans

Browse all crustaceans