Description: A large reddish-brown crab with carapace measuring up to 25 cm across, but more commonly around 15 cm. The thick carapace has a wide, oblong shape giving this crab a ‘chunky’ appearance overall. There are distinctive rounded lobes around the edge of the carapace which give it a ‘pie-crust’ appearance. The chelipeds bear large (usually) evenly sized claws with black tips, even when juveniles. The walking legs are relatively small.

Habitat: Beneath boulders or in crevices on lower shore and sublittoral, also in found dug into the seabed in soft sediments.

Distribution: Common on all coasts in Britain and Ireland.

Similar Species: Unlikely to be confused with any other species.

Key Identification Features:

• Large claws with black tips.
• Distinctive ‘pie-crust’ appearance to edge of carapace due to rounded lobes.
• Wide, oblong shape.
• Chunky appearance.

Distribution Map from NBN: Cancer pagurus at National Biodiversity Network mapping facility, data for UK.

iNaturalist: Cancer pagurus at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.

WoRMS: Cancer pagurus at World Register of Marine Species. Accepted name: Cancer pagurus Linnaeus, 1758. AphiaID: 107276.

Classification: Biota; Animalia; Arthropoda; Crustacea; Multicrustacea; Malacostraca; Eumalacostraca; Eucarida; Decapoda; Pleocyemata; Brachyura; Eubrachyura; Heterotremata; Cancroidea; Cancridae; Cancrinae; Cancer