Tasmanian Giant Crab Size report

Tasmanian Giant crab (Pseudocarcinus gigas), sometimes known as the giant deepwater crab, giant southern crab, or queen crab, is distributed in Australia's western and southern waters. Many people may confuse it with a king crab. Tasmanian Giant crabs inhabit western and southern Australia's rocky and muddy seabed. However, King crabs inhabit the cold waters of the North Pacific Ocean, from the Sea of Japan and the Sea of Okhotsk to the Bering Sea.

These giant crabs live in ocean and estuary environments and prefer mud, sand, or rocky seabeds, aquatic plants, and swamps. They can withstand a salinity of 4-52‰ and survive temperatures of 0-30C. Therefore, they can survive in the low-salinity environment of the estuary. Common shore crabs in Australia can migrate long distances, possibly driven by human activity.

The sea surrounds Australia. The seawater here is pure and cold, and the growth cycle of seafood species is long. The unique geographical and marine environment advantages have created Australia's unique seafood cuisine. Today we will introduce to you the best Australian seafood-Tasmanian Giant crab.

Tasmanian Giant Crab Size and Appearance

It is not just America and Japan that boost to have the largest crabs, but Australia also has one of its own-the Tasmanian Giant crabs. The Tasmanian Giant crab is one of the top grades of seafood. The growth cycle of the giant crab is very long, ranging from ten to thirty years, and it takes about ten years to grow before it weighs three to four kilograms. Its carapace is relatively hard, reddish-white, fan-shaped carapace; chelicerae are thick, usually with two pincers, one big and one small, with black fingers. Juveniles are yellow or red-spotted on their dorsal, while adults are red on their dorsal but whitish-yellow on the belly. Males have two claws of different sizes, a feature not exhibited in females.

Average Size of Tasmanian Giant Crab

Tasmanian Giant crabs are big and fat, with a carapace width of about 30-45 centimeters and a foot span of 1.5 meters. The average weight of Tasmanian Giant crabs is 9 kg to 15 kg. It is one of the heaviest crab species in the world, weighing up to 36 kg. Males are usually twice as heavy as females. The typical lifespan of the Tasmanian Giant Crab is between 20-30 years.

Living Habits And Diet

Giant crabs are predators of many species, especially bivalves, polychaetes, and tiny crustaceans. In California, their predation of native clams has led to a decline in their numbers and an increase in invasive clam species. They have also contributed to the destruction of sand beetle fisheries along the East Coast of the United States and Canada and have reduced populations of some commercially important bivalves. They also eat fish but have little effect on the place. They will prey on or compete with young oysters, zodiac crabs, and other species, affecting local recreational fishing. They are mainly nocturnal but also diurnal, depending on the tides.

Tasmanian Giant crabs generally follow the sea temperature for seasonal migration, so there are certain restrictions on the fishing period. Generally speaking, the best fishing season is from November to July and August of the following year. According to different seasons, the fishing depth is also different. Usually, the fishing depth is 110-180 meters in summer and 190-400 meters in winter.

Conclusion

The production areas of giant crabs are mainly in the sea areas near Tasmania and Kangaroo Island in South Australia, where the water temperature is 2-5°C. This hardy crab inhabits the edge of the continental shelf in rocky and muddy bottoms at depths of 20-820 m, with the seabed at depths of 110-180 m being the most abundant production area. Because the species is rare and has a long growth cycle, the local government strictly controls and regulates commercial fishing. The Australian government established an association in 1993 to specify the minimum size that can be caught to ensure its species' sustainability. It should be aware that it is illegal to fish female giant crabs during the spawning period, they must be returned to the sea.