Pseudocarcinus gigas

The weight is the heaviest among existing crabs, with a body width of 41 cm and a weight of more than 13.5 kg. The width of the carapace is up to 46 cm. The body is fat and heavy; the carapace is relatively hard, reddish-white, and fan-shaped; the claws are thick and the fingers are black.

Distributed in the waters of western and southern Australia. Habitat depth: 100 to 180 meters. Giant shore crabs can live in marine and estuarine environments, and are best suited to mud, sand or rocky seabeds, aquatic plants and swamps. They can withstand salinity of 4-52‰ and can survive in temperatures of 0-30C. Therefore, they can survive in the low-salinity environment of estuaries. Molecular biological studies using the COI gene have shown that the communities in the North Sea and the Bay of Biscay are genetically different from each other, while the communities in Iceland and the Faroe Islands are more different. This shows that it is difficult for ordinary shore crabs to enter deeper waters.

The giant shore crab is also commonly known as the emperor crab, and should not be confused with the king crab.

The giant shore crab is a predator of many organisms, especially bivalves, polychaetes, and small crustaceans. They are mainly nocturnal, but they are active during the day depending on the tides. In California, they prey on native clams, causing their populations to decline and causing an increase in invasive clams (such as the gem clam). They have also contributed to the destruction of the sand worm fishery on the east coast of the United States and Canada, and have reduced the number of some commercially important bivalves. They also eat fish, but have little impact on the American plaice. They prey on young oysters and species such as the chief crab, or compete with them for resources, which also affects local recreational fishing.

Common shore crabs have a variety of ways to disperse their colonies, including ballast water, ship hulls, packaging materials such as seaweed, boating, and larvae migrating with ocean currents. Common shore crabs in Australia can disperse over long distances, which can be driven by human activities.

The crab shell of the giant shore crab can be used to extract industrial raw material chitin, and can also be used to extract glucosamine. Some crabs can be used as traditional Chinese medicine. Crab larvae or adults can be used as bait and feed. It is rich in nutrients such as protein and trace elements, and has a good tonic effect on the body. In recent years, studies have found that it also has anti-tuberculosis effects, which is very beneficial for the recovery of tuberculosis. Because the meat is tender and delicious, and the nutritional value is extremely high, the price is also amazing. An ordinary Australian king crab costs several thousand or even tens of thousands of yuan. If it is a 72-pound Australian king crab, it will definitely be priced at a sky-high price, and it is hard to come by.

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