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Atlantic rock crab

Cancer irroratus

Information and species illustrations courtesy of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

Species Information
Size Maximum width: male 135 mm; female 113 mm.
Diagnostic characters
Habitat, biology, and fisheries This is basically a cold-water species centred in the region north of Area 31. It ranges in depth from the low-water mark to 575 m. Small to medium-sized crabs move into shallower depths, especially in winter, whereas larger ones occur in deeper water. Feeds mainly on molluscs, echinoderms, and other invertebrates. Mainly outer continental shelf and beyond, often caught along with lobsters. Caught with bottom trawls and lobster traps. Marketed fresh. Landings totalled 0.25M t globally from 1950 to 2024.
Distribution From Labrador to off Miami, Florida. Southward (Carolinas) only in deep water.
Citations Carpenter, K.E. (ed) The living marine resources of the Western Central Atlantic. Volume 1: Introduction, molluscs, crustaceans, hagfishes, sharks, batoid fishes, and chimaeras. FAO Species Identification Guide for Fishery Purposes and American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists Special Publication No. 5. Rome, FAO. 2002. pp. 1-600. Carpenter, K.E. (ed) The living marine resources of the Western Central Atlantic. Volume 2: Bony fishes part 1 (Acipenseridae to Grammatidae). FAO Species Identification Guide for Fishery Purposes and American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists Special Publication No. 5. Rome, FAO. 2002. pp. 601-1374. Carpenter, K.E. (ed) The living marine resources of the Western Central Atlantic. Volume 3: Bony fishes part 2 (Opistognathidae to Molidae), sea turtles and marine mammals. FAO Species Identification Guide for Fishery Purposes and American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists Special Publication No. 5. Rome, FAO. 2002. pp. 1375-2127.