Oregon bay crab identification *
Commonly harvested bay crabs
Other native crabs found in crab gear
Red rock crab
Dungeness crab
Pacific rock crab
Cancer productus
Cancer magister
Northern kelp crab
Cancer antennarius
Pugettia producta
• Most legal size Dungeness crabs are 4 years old.
• The most common and valuable crab of Oregon estuaries.
• Red rock crabs are NATIVE to Oregon.
• Often found near rocks and other structure.
• Also known as Brown or Spot-bellied crab.
• More common in ocean than in estuaries.
• A large spider crab often found in estuaries near
pilings, rocks, and other structure.
Identification:
• Dungeness crabs have white-tipped claws and 10 spines on each side of carapace.
• Dungeness are typically brown to purple; however, llike other crabs, color can be variable.
• Abdominal flap of males is long and narrow, in females it is short and rounded.
Identification:
• Red rock crabs have black-tipped claws.
• Carapace is fan shaped.
Identification:
• Similar and closely related to red rock crab, but
more brown in color, with spots covering
underside, and with more hair on legs.
• Antennae much larger than in red rock crab.
Identification:
• Long legs and shield shaped carapace.
• Disproportionately large claws in mature males.
• Color can vary from green to brown to red,
underside generally has some deep red color.
• Can grow very large.

Black tipped claws
Male
Long antennae

White tipped claws
/
4'
b
Female
-I- size 3-5”
frd
-U'
• Color and patterns
are extremely
variable for very small
(< 2”) juvenile red rock
crabs.
size 4-7”
• Pacific rock crabs
have heavily spotted
undersides and
hairy legs.
t-size 2-4”
size 3-5”
Other native bay crabs
Slender crab
Pygmy rock crab
Cancer gracilis
Cancer oregonensis
• Similar to Dungeness, but with no spines on upper claw,
and is widest at 9th spine.
• Far less common than Dungeness crab.
smooth upper claw
• Also known as Oregon
cancer crab.
• Often found near docks
and rocky intertidal areas.
• Round carapace, hairy
legs, and black tipped claws.
Non-native crabs**
Graceful kelp crab
Pea crab
Pinnixa sp.
•
Several
species
• A small spider crab
exist in Oregon, and
occassionally found crawling
can be found inside
on crab gear.
a variety of bivalves
• Claw tips are usually
such as gaper clams.
orange.
Pugettia gracilis
Male
w
10th spine
posterior to
widest point
Green crab Carcinus maenas
• Native to Europe.
• Occasionally found in Oregon estuaries.
• Young Dungeness and shore crabs
are often misidentified as green crab
due to color similarities.
Purple shore crab
Hemigrapsus nudus
• Spotted claws, hairless legs.
Yellow shore crab
Hemigrapsus oregonensis
• Yellow to green color, hairy legs.
size ¾-1½”
Striped shore crab
Pachygrapsus crassipes
• Horizontal lines across carapace.
Lophopanopeus bellus
• Large, black tipped claws.
• Plays dead when handled.
.i..
-f
-*.;
1.
(_______
size 1-2”
size ¾-1½”
size 1-2”
size ½-1”
size ¼-¾”
Black clawed crab
size ¾-1¼”
* Color can be highly variable in crabs and should not be used soley for identification. All sizes are approximate for average adult carapace width (inches).
-
Rhithropanopeus harrissii
• Native to southeast coast of North America.
• Found in brackish waters of large estuarine systems.
10th
size 1-2”
-s- 0
Harris mud crab
9th
size 2-4”
5 carapace
spines
.').:
Identification:
• 5 spines on each side of carapace.
• 3 bumps between eyes.
size 1½-3”
• Color most often dark green.
Female
I
3 bumps
between eyes
Identification:
• Unequal size claws characteristic of this species.
• 4 spines on each side of carapace, no notch between eyes.
Chinese mitten crab
Eriocheir sinensis
• Native to China.
• NOT found in Oregon as of 2007.
Identification:
• White tipped claws with dense patches
of hair.
• 4 spines on each side of carapace.
• Notch between eyes.
size 1½-3”
'A

Claws covered with hairs
Long spidery legs
Deep notch between eyes
Mitten crab photo courtesy of
Lee Mecum, CDF&G
** If a non-native crab is found, please turn it in to ODFW with information on date and location.