Table of Contents
Overview
Distribution
Geographic Range
Paralithodes camtschaticus is distributed throughout the northern Pacific Ocean. They can be found as far south as the Sea of Japan, and north up to the Kamchatka Peninsula. On the west coast of North America the southern limit is the Queen Charlotte Islands, and the most northern point is Barrow, Alaska. Paralithodes camtschaticus is also found in the southeastern Bering Sea. While not native to the Atlantic Ocean, P. camtschaticus was commercially introduced in the Barents Sea, north of Russia.
Biogeographic Regions: nearctic ; palearctic ; arctic ocean ; atlantic ocean (Introduced ); pacific ocean
Other Geographic Terms: holarctic
- Bliss, D. 1982. Shrimps, Lobsters, and Crabs. New Jersey: New Century Publishers INC.
- Forrest Blau , S., D. Kuklok , S. Compton . 2002. "Alaska King Crabs" (On-line ). ADF&G Wildlife Notebook Series. Accessed 03/17/03 at http://www.state.ak.us/local/akpages/FISH.GAME/notebook/shellfsh/kingcrab.htm.
- Jewett, S., C. Onuf. 1988. "Habitat Suitability Index Models: Red King Crab" (On-line ). Accessed 03/19/03 at http://www.nwrc.gov/wdb/pub/hsi/hsi-153.pdf.
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Streftaris, N.; Zenetos, A.; Papathanassiou, E. (2005). Globalisation in marine ecosystems: the story of non-indigenous marine species across European seas. Oceanogr. Mar. Biol. Ann. Rev. 43: 419-453
http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=sourcedetails&id=9271
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National Distribution
Canada
Origin: Native
Regularity: Regularly occurring
Currently: Present
Confidence: Confident
Type of Residency: Year-round
United States
Origin: Native
Regularity: Regularly occurring
Currently: Present
Confidence: Confident
Type of Residency: Year-round
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Physical Description
Morphology
Physical Description
Paralithodes camtschaticus have a dark red body and are characterized by having a fan shaped tail. King crabs have 5 sets of appendages, the first two are pincers, the right is usually larger then the left. The last appendages are used for mating. For males the last two appendages are used to spread spermatophore over the genital opening of a female, and for females the appendages are used to aid in the spreading of the spermatophore.
Range mass: 12.7 (high) kg.
Average mass: 10 kg.
Average length: 220 mm.
Other Physical Features: ectothermic ; heterothermic ; bilateral symmetry
Sexual Dimorphism: sexes alike
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Ecology
Habitat
Adults are found in the intertidal zone at depths of more than 200 m in the preferred sand and mud substrates. Annual migrations from the deep to shallow waters (50 m or shallower) occur in the late winter/early spring for mating.
Habitat Regions: temperate ; polar ; saltwater or marine
Aquatic Biomes: benthic ; coastal
Other Habitat Features: intertidal or littoral
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Water temperature and chemistry ranges based on 4 samples.
Environmental ranges
Depth range (m): 0.1 - 419
Temperature range (°C): 2.304 - 6.757
Nitrate (umol/L): 8.920 - 35.169
Salinity (PPS): 31.983 - 33.747
Oxygen (ml/l): 2.881 - 7.224
Phosphate (umol/l): 1.058 - 2.732
Silicate (umol/l): 24.013 - 84.599
Graphical representation
Depth range (m): 0.1 - 419
Temperature range (°C): 2.304 - 6.757
Nitrate (umol/L): 8.920 - 35.169
Salinity (PPS): 31.983 - 33.747
Oxygen (ml/l): 2.881 - 7.224
Phosphate (umol/l): 1.058 - 2.732
Silicate (umol/l): 24.013 - 84.599
Note: this information has not been validated. Check this *note*. Your feedback is most welcome.
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Trophic Strategy
Food Habits
Larval P. camtschaticus are planktivores. The adult form feeds on many different animals including some fish parts and are generalized carnivore.
Animal Foods: fish; mollusks; aquatic or marine worms; aquatic crustaceans; echinoderms; zooplankton
Plant Foods: algae; macroalgae ; phytoplankton
Primary Diet: carnivore (Eats non-insect arthropods); planktivore
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Associations
Ecosystem Roles
As adults, Alaskan king crabs are major predators. The mass numbers of zoea also serve as a food source for many organisms.
- Pacific Seafood Group, 2001-2002. "King Crab" (On-line ). Pacific Seafood. Accessed 03/17/03 at http://www.pacseafood.com/products/king_crab.html.
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Predation
During the first year Alaskan king crabs hide in crevices formed by rocks or kelp forests to avoid predation. From the ages of 1 to 4 Alaskan king crabs form clusters of up to 500,000 individuals called pods. The pods disperse only for feeding. This behavior is thought to be used for protection during molting, when a crab is most vulnerable. The adult Alaskan king crabs have few predators because of their heavily armored and bumpy carapace. Carcinonemertes (nemertean worms) feed on eggs while mother is incubating. Erimacrus isenbeckii (Korean hair crab), Enhydra lutris (sea otters), and Heimlepidotus or Myoxocephalus (sculpins) are possible predators for adults.
Known Predators:
- nemertean worms (Carcinonemertes)
- Korean hair crabs (Erimacrus isenbeckii)
- sea otters (Enhydra lutris)
- Irish lords (Hemilepidotus)
- sculpins (Myoxocephalus)
- Warner , G. 1977. The Biology of Crabs. Great Britain: Pail Elek (Scientific Books) Ltd.
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Life History and Behavior
Behavior
Communication and Perception
Alaskan king crabs communicate during mating when the female releases a chemical that signals a male that she is ready to ovulate.
Communication Channels: tactile ; chemical
Other Communication Modes: pheromones
Perception Channels: visual ; tactile ; chemical
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Life Cycle
Development
Alaskan king crabs have two stages of development. In the first stage of development P. camtschaticus are free-swimming zoea. Zoea are very small and do not resemble the adult crab. During 3 to 4 months, the zoea molt 5 times. After the fifth molt the larval zoea begin to resemble the adult form, they are about 1/8 of an inch at this point, and adopt a benthic, or bottom dwelling, lifestyle.
Development - Life Cycle: metamorphosis
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Life Expectancy
Lifespan/Longevity
The expected lifespan of P. camtschaticus is 15 to 20 years. The biggest non-commercial threat is molting. Molting can be stressful and cause death. In addition, the days after a molt are the most dangerous for P. camtschaticus, when the soft shell is vulnerable to predation. However, the main limit on life span for Alaskan king crabs is over-fishing.
Range lifespan
Status: wild: 20 to 30 years.
Typical lifespan
Status: wild: 15 to 20 years.
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Reproduction
Females attract males with a chemical that is released after eggs have hatched. The male then clasps onto the female and they remain connected until the female molts, and produces new eggs. Females mate once a year while males may mate multiple times each spring.
Mating System: polygynous
Female Alaskan king crabs mate immediately after the eggs hatch. During this process a male is attracted by a chemical that is released by the female. The male then clasps onto the female and holds her until she molts. The female and male may remain connected for up to 7 days. After molting the male uses his fifth pair of legs to spread spermatophores over the females opening. The females eggs are then released and pass over the spermatophores and become fertilized. These fertilized eggs are attached by the female to her pleopods under the abdomen and are incubated for approximately a year before hatching.
Breeding interval: Females breed once annually, while males can possibly mate with 11 females during the breeding season.
Breeding season: Alaskan King Crabs breed in the spring after migrating to water depths of 50 meters or less.
Range number of offspring: 150,000 to 400,000.
Range age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female): 5 to 6 years.
Range age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male): 5 to 6 years.
Key Reproductive Features: seasonal breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual ; fertilization (External )
Female Alaskan king crabs incubate eggs for 1 year, providing protection. Within days of hatching, the female begins incubating next group of eggs.
Parental Investment: pre-fertilization (Provisioning); pre-hatching/birth (Protecting: Female)
- Bliss, D. 1982. Shrimps, Lobsters, and Crabs. New Jersey: New Century Publishers INC.
- Forrest Blau , S., D. Kuklok , S. Compton . 2002. "Alaska King Crabs" (On-line ). ADF&G Wildlife Notebook Series. Accessed 03/17/03 at http://www.state.ak.us/local/akpages/FISH.GAME/notebook/shellfsh/kingcrab.htm.
- Jewett, S., C. Onuf. 1988. "Habitat Suitability Index Models: Red King Crab" (On-line ). Accessed 03/19/03 at http://www.nwrc.gov/wdb/pub/hsi/hsi-153.pdf.
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Molecular Biology and Genetics
Molecular Biology
Barcode data: Paralithodes camtschaticus
There are 6 barcode sequences available from BOLD and GenBank. Below is a sequence of the barcode region Cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI or COX1) from a member of the species. See the BOLD taxonomy browser for more complete information about this specimen and other sequences.
-- end --
Download FASTA File
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Statistics of barcoding coverage: Paralithodes camtschaticus
Public Records: 4
Specimens with Barcodes: 4
Species With Barcodes: 1
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Conservation
Conservation Status
There is no special status on Alaskan king crabs. However, due to over harvesting the population of P. camtschaticus is consistently low. A proposed possible solution is that crabbers are only allowed to catch male Alaskan king crabs.
US Federal List: no special status
CITES: no special status
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National NatureServe Conservation Status
Canada
Rounded National Status Rank: NNR - Unranked
United States
Rounded National Status Rank: NNR - Unranked
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NatureServe Conservation Status
Rounded Global Status Rank: GNR - Not Yet Ranked
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Relevance to Humans and Ecosystems
Benefits
Economic Importance for Humans: Negative
There are no known adverse affects of P. camtschaticus on humans.
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Economic Importance for Humans: Positive
From 1960 to 1970 Alaskan king crabs generated hundreds of millions of dollars in economic revenue. However, within two years of over fishing in a given area catch returns diminish to a fraction of the original catch. Now the United States gets the majority of its crab meat from the North Atlantic Ocean north of Russia. There is now a rule for fishers that they can only catch males.
Positive Impacts: food
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Wikipedia
Paralithodes camtschaticus
The red king crab, Paralithodes camtschaticus, is a species of king crab native to the Bering Sea. It grows to a leg span of 1.8 m (5.9 ft), and is heavily targeted by fisheries.
Contents |
Description [edit]
Red king crabs can be very large, sometimes reaching a carapace width of 28 cm (11 in) and a leg span of 1.8 m (6 ft).[2] It was named after the color it turns when it is cooked rather than the color of a living animal, which tends to be more burgundy.
Distribution [edit]
The king crab is native to the Bering Sea, north Pacific Ocean, around the Kamchatka Peninsula and neighbouring Alaskan waters. It was introduced artificially by the Soviet Union into the Murmansk Fjord, Barents Sea, during the 1960s to provide new, valuable catch for Soviet fishermen.
Fisheries [edit]
It is the most coveted of the commercially-sold king crab species, and is the most expensive per unit weight. It is most commonly caught in the Bering Sea and Norton Sound, Alaska, and is particularly difficult to catch, but is nonetheless one of the most preferred crabs for consumption.[3] The red king crabs are experiencing a steady decline in numbers in their native far east coastal waters for unclear reasons. Fishing controls set by the United States in the 1980s and 2000s have failed to stem the decline.[4]
In the Barents Sea, however, it is an invasive species and its population is increasing tremendously. This is causing great concern to local environmentalists and local fishermen as the crab eats everything it comes across and is spreading very rapidly. Since its introduction it has spread westwards along the Norwegian coast and also northwards, having reached the island group of Svalbard.[5][6] The species keeps on advancing southwards along the coast of Norway and some scientists think they are advancing at about 50 km (31 mi) a year, though that could be an underestimation.
Despite these concerns the species is protected by diplomatic accords between Norway and Russia, and a bilateral fishing commission decides how to manage the stocks and imposes fishing quotas. West of the North Cape on Norway's northern tip, the Scandinavian country is allowed to manage its crab population itself.[7] Only 259 Norwegian fishermen are allowed to catch it,[7] and they see the king crab as a blessing, as it is an expensive delicacy.
See also [edit]
References [edit]
| External identifiers for Paralithodes camtschaticus | |
|---|---|
| Encyclopedia of Life | 342038 |
| ITIS | 97935 |
| NCBI | 6741 |
| WoRMS | 233889 |
| Also found in: Wikispecies, ADW | |
- ^ Jørgensen, Lis Lindal (21 November 2006). "Invasive Alien Species Fact Sheet – Paralithodes camtschaticus". NOBANIS.org. Retrieved 20 February 2010.
- ^ Jensen, Gregory (2004). "Order:Decapoda". In Hutchins, Michael. Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia 2. Detroit: Thomson-Gale. p. 208. ISBN 0-7876-5362-4.
- ^ "A meal to get your claws into". SeafoodfromNorway.com. 6 February 2006. Retrieved 20 February 2010.
- ^ Blau, S. Forrest (November 1997). "Alaska King Crabs". Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Retrieved 20 February 2010.
- ^ Bevanger, Lars (9 August 2006). "Norway fears giant crab invasion". BBC News. Retrieved 20 February 2010.
- ^ Kirby, Alex (29 September 2003). "King crabs march towards the Pole". BBC News. Retrieved 20 February 2010.
- ^ a b Deshayes, Pierre-Henry (24 May 2006). "Barents Sea teems with 'Stalin's crabs'". Mail & Guardian. Retrieved 20 February 2010.
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