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| Oregon Crab Species |
Click on images to see larger
Common | Occasionally Caught | Seldom Caught | Exotic/ Invasive | Shore | Nearshore | Deepwater
Most common crabs to Oregon
| Dungeness crab
Best identification characters:
- White tipped claws
- Ten carapace spines (widest at 10th)
- Color reddish-brown to purple
ID Photo
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| Dungeness crab |
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Red rock crab
Best identification characters:
- Black tipped claws
- Wide “fan” shaped carapace
- Color typically a deep brick red
ID Photo
More about red rock crab
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| Red rock crab |
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Occasionally caught crab
| Kelp crab
Found: Among rocky areas and pilings in the lower estuary. Very common among kelp in nearshore ocean areas. Size 2-4"
Best identification characteristics:
- Large claws
- “Shield-shaped” carapace
- Long “spidery” legs
- Underside often a deep red color
ID Photo
More about kelp crab
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| Kelp crab |
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Pacific rock crab
Found: among rocky areas and pilings in the lower estuary. Very common in rocky nearshore ocean. Size 3-5"
Best identification characters:
- Black tipped claws
- Wide “fan” shaped carapace
- Color typically a deep brick red
ID Photo
More about pacific rock crab
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| Pacific rock crab |
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Other crab found in the estuary, seldom caught
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| Female Graceful kelp crab |
Graceful kelp crab
Found: Among rocky areas and pilings in the lower estuary. Very common among kelp in nearshore ocean areas. Size ¾-1½ "
Best identification characteristics:
- Large claws
- “Shield-shaped” carapace
- Long “spidery” legs
- Underside often a deep red color
ID Photo
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| Male Graceful kelp crab |
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Slender crab
Found: infrequently in sandy areas in the estuary. Size 2-4"
Best identification characteristics:
- White tipped claws
- Widest at 9th carapace spine
- Purplish legs
- Smaller than adult Dungeness crab
ID Photo
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| Slender crab |
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Pygmy rock crab
Found: among rocky areas and pilings in the lower estuary. Very common in rocky nearshore ocean. Size 1-2"
Best identification characteristics:
- Black tipped claws
- Round carapace
- Hairy legs
- Small size
ID Photo
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| Pygmy rock crab |
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Exotic/ invasive crab to Oregon
Green crab
Found: In the shallow areas of the upper estuaries, usually not in good crabbing areas. Size 2-4"
Best identification characteristics:
- 3 bumps between eyes
- 5 spines on each side of carapace
Color is variable, and not the best characteristic to identify green crab. Green crab can be green, black, or yellow on top of carapace and have white, yellow, orange, or reddish undersides and leg joints.
ID photo
More information about green crab
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| Green crab |
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Harris mud crab
Found: Very high (intertidal) up in large bays (Coos, Yaquina), burrowed into mud or under rocks. Size ½-1 " If found: Bring in to local ODFW office.
Best identification characteristics:
- Claws usually unequally sized
- Notch between eyes NOT prominent
- Four spines on each side of carapace
- Small crab (<20 mm carapace with)
ID photo
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| Harris mud crab |
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Chinese mitten crab
Found: Chinese mitten crab are currently NOT found in Oregon, if ever found it would most likely be in areas of high freshwater influence. If found: Bring in to local ODFW office.
Best identification characteristics:
- Hairy claws
- Notch between eyes
- 4 spines on each side of carapace
ID photo
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| Chinese mitten crab |
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Shore crab
| Purple shore crab
Found: among rocks in the lower estuary and tide pools. Size 1-2"
Best identification characteristics:
- Purple / red spotted claws
- Soft tissues on at base of claws
- 3 spines on each side of carapace
- Legs without hairs
- occasionally green (photo)
ID photo
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| Purple shore crab |
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Yellow shore crab
Found: among rocks and mud throughout the estuary. Size ¾-1½ "
Best identification characteristics:
- usually mottled green/yellow with dark spots
- occasionally variable coloring (white)
- legs hairy
ID photo |
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| Yellow shore crab |
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Lined shore crab
Found: among rocks and mud throughout the estuary. Size 1-2" |
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| Lined shore crab |
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Black clawed crab
Found: among rocks and mud throughout the estuary. Size ¾-1¼ "
ID photo |
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| Black clawed crab |
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Selected nearshore ocean crab (intertidal to 250 feet deep)
Spiny lithode crab
Best identification characteristics:
- Claws usually orange
- Legs banded
- Leg dactyls black
- Body covered in spines and hairs
ID photo
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| Spiny lithode crab |
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Butterfly crab
Best identification characteristics:
- Rostrum flat or rounded
- Crapace bumpy and rough
- Stripe dividing carapace often evident
- Legs wrinkly
ID photo
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| Butterfly crab |
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Cryptic kelp crab
Best identification characteristics:
- Claw tips white
- Setae on rostrum, normally decorated
- Lateral carapace teeth strongly curved and aimed forward
ID photo
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| Cryptic kelp crab |
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Sharpnose crab
Best identification characteristics:
- Often covered in encrusting invertebrates
- Rostrum is two short flat plates
- Legs shor and round
ID photo
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| Sharpnose crab |
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Selected deepwater crab (250 feet and deeper)
| Spiny king crab
Best identification characteristics:
- Three rows of paird spines anterior to forked rostrum
ID photo
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| Spiny king crab |
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Oregon hair crab
Best identification characteristics:
- Right claw often larger than the left
- Carapace covered in shor spines
- Long rounded legs
- Short rostrum
ID photo
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| Oregon hair crab |
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Brown box crab
Best identification characteristics:
- Respritory holes on lower claws
- Three walking legs
- Prominent spine on top of carapace
ID photo
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| Brown box crab |
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