Rock Crab
Cancer irroratus
Rock crabs live on rocky and sandy sea bottoms along the northwestern Atlantic coast, from shallow tide zones to deeper coastal waters. They shelter under stones, in crevices, or partly buried in sediment, emerging to feed on mollusks, worms, smaller crustaceans, and carrion. Their stout claws can crush shelled prey, while the broad carapace provides strong protection against predators. Like other crabs, they must molt to grow and can regenerate lost limbs over successive molts.
- Type
- Shell / Fang
- Conservation status
- NE
Growth chain
- ?
- ?
- ?
- Rock Crab