Alaskan King Crabs are crustaceans known for their impressive size and are highly sought after for their meat. They inhabit the cold, deep waters off the coast of Alaska, thriving in environments like the Bering Sea and the Gulf of Alaska. This article explores their typical and maximum dimensions.
Typical Dimensions of Alaskan King Crabs
Three main types of king crabs are recognized: the Red King Crab (Paralithodes camtschaticus), Blue King Crab (Paralithodes platypus), and Golden King Crab (Lithodes aequispinus). Red King Crabs are the largest and most commercially harvested. Adult males weigh between 6 and 10 pounds and can reach a leg span of up to 5 feet. Their carapace, the main body shell, can extend up to 11 inches.
Blue King Crabs are also large, with mature males sometimes weighing up to 18 pounds, though their average weight is closer to 6 pounds. Their leg span can extend up to 6 feet. Golden King Crabs are smaller than their red and blue counterparts, averaging 5 to 8 pounds. Their leg span reaches around 3 feet.
Record-Breaking Sizes
While the average sizes of Alaskan King Crabs are already substantial, some individual specimens have been recorded at truly remarkable dimensions. The largest Red King Crab ever documented weighed an impressive 28 pounds and featured a carapace width of 18.5 inches. This particular male was caught in 1977 off the coast of Alaska.
Other exceptionally large male Red King Crabs have been reported to weigh up to 24 pounds, with leg spans extending to 5 feet. Some accounts even suggest king crabs reaching a leg span of nearly 6 feet. These colossal crabs represent extraordinary examples, far exceeding the typical sizes observed in the general population.
Measuring a King Crab’s Size
The size of a king crab is measured using several key measurements. Weight indicates the overall mass of the crab. Leg span is taken from the tip of one leg to the tip of the opposite leg when the crab is fully extended.
Carapace width, which is the measurement across the widest part of the crab’s main body shell, provides an indication of the crab’s body size independent of its leg length. In commercial fisheries, king crab size is also often described by “count,” referring to the number of crab legs it takes to make a 10-pound package, with smaller counts indicating larger individual legs. These standardized measurements help track populations and manage commercial harvests.