Everything you need to know about crabs. Far Eastern king crab How much does the Far Eastern crab weigh

Crabs are a large group of aquatic and semi-aquatic animals belonging to the order Decapod Crustaceans. Crabs differ from their related crayfish, shrimp, lobsters and spiny lobsters in their noticeably shortened abdomen, tucked under a wide cephalothorax. This gives them a specific, well-recognized shape. At the same time, crabs have reached an unprecedented diversity: 6793 species of these animals are united in 93 families, which is half the number of the entire detachment.

Spotted rock crab (Grapsus grapsus) is an inhabitant of the Galapagos Islands.

Along with a special body shape, crabs are characterized by the presence of 10 pairs of limbs. They are divided into chest and abdominal. The first 3 pairs of thoracic limbs are very short, they are called mandibles, because they do not participate in movement, but serve only to bring food to the mouth. The remaining pairs of pectoral legs serve to move, capture and cut food, and can also perform other auxiliary functions. The pair of largest and most massive legs are pincers. With their help, crabs can not only hunt, but also defend themselves, participate in mating battles. The narrow specialization of these organs is reflected in their appearance: often the right and left claws have different sizes and shapes, giving the crab body a noticeable asymmetry. As for the ventral legs, they are small and are used for fertilization (in males) or gestation (in females). Such vital organs as gills are connected with the pectoral legs of crabs. Often their petals are located directly on the segments of the legs or near the place of their attachment to the body.

Because of the huge difference in claw size, fiddler crabs appear to be one-armed. Like people, these animals are right-handed and left-handed, with right-handers making up 85%.

Crabs are one of the most perfect crustaceans, so they have developed sensory organs. Big role vision plays in their life. The eyes of these animals are complex, faceted. They consist of thousands of eyes, each of which sees only a tiny part of the space directly in front of it. The final assembly of the image takes place already in the brain of the animal. Numerous observations have shown that with the help of vision, crabs identify a potential enemy, find a partner during the breeding season, and navigate in search of food. But if the animal is blinded, it will only lose the ability to see danger, and find food and a partner with almost the same efficiency. In this he will be helped by antennas ("antennae") that can capture odors. If the crab also cut off the antennae, then it ... will find food again. True, in this case, he will have to spend a lot of time and effort, because he will literally move towards the prey by touch, tapping his claws on the ground. Some types of crabs have balance organs - statoliths. By the way, the eye stalks play a huge role in their physiology. These are real endocrine glands, capable of secreting hormones and regulating body functions such as the frequency of molts, the onset of puberty, and even color change!

The terrestrial bigeye Latreille (Macrophthalmus latreillei) has especially long eye stalks, which is associated with the need to inspect the area at a great distance.

Crabs do not have skin as such; it is replaced by a layer of hard and impenetrable chitin, which forms a kind of shell. Chitin is not able to stretch, which makes normal linear growth impossible. Crabs solve this problem with regular moults. When the old shell bursts, a soft and defenseless animal is selected from it. It takes from several weeks to six months to harden the new cover, during this period the crab hides in a secluded place and grows intensively. Chitin can be impregnated with all sorts of pigments, so the color of crabs can be almost any.

The Bicolor Vampire Crab (Geosesarma bicolor) gets its name from its unusual combination of bright yellow eyes with a deep purple shell. Due to its imposing appearance, it is often kept by amateur aquarists.

In addition, the chitinous cover may have outgrowths: rare and hard, like thorns, short and hard, like bristles, or long and thin, like wool.

Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis) stands out among relatives with a "fur" muff on claws.

The sizes of these animals also vary widely. The diameter of the shell of the smallest pea crab in the world does not exceed 1 cm, while the leg span of the largest Japanese spider crab reaches 4 m and weighs 20 kg.

Pea crab (Pinnotheres boninensis) lives on the coast of the Azov and Black Seas.

Crabs inhabit all the seas and oceans of the planet, but they reach the greatest diversity in the tropics. The habitat of these crustaceans has a very wide range: crabs can be found in the shallow waters of the seas and oceans, among coral thickets on reefs, at depths up to 5000 m, in cave reservoirs, in intertidal zone, mangroves and even in the depths of the islands away from the coast. The vast majority of them live in salt water, about 850 species live in fresh water. Crabs that spend a long time on land store water under their shells or develop lungs-like organs. Their underdeveloped gills almost do not work, and with constant immersion in water, such individuals die. Bottom-dwelling species are often active in the dark; land crabs are most active during the day.

The Tasmanian giant crab (Pseudocarcinus gigas), the second largest on the planet, weighs up to 13 kg with a shell width of 46 cm.

When moving, these crustaceans never put both legs of one pair on the ground at the same time, which gives their gait stability, but the short body length and a large number of legs make it uncomfortable to move forward, so crabs prefer to walk sideways. At the same time, this does not in the least prevent them from developing a decent speed, for example, a grass crab overcomes 1 m in 1 s! But these animals swim poorly and reluctantly.

The exception is swimming crabs, in which the back pair of legs is transformed into paddles, thanks to which they feel at home in the water element.

The nature of these crustaceans is quarrelsome, they all live alone and jealously guard their sites or shelters; males are especially aggressive. At the same time, the areas of small crabs are very small, so there can be up to 50 of their minks per 1 sq.m. Danger is the only thing that makes the inhabitants of the colony forget about strife. In the event of a threat, crabs signal their neighbors by waving their claws, making sounds, or tapping on the ground. Thanks to vibrations, even those individuals who do not see the enemy have time to hide.

Blue soldier crabs (Dotilla myctiroides) form large concentrations on the beaches.

Shelters deserve special attention. In the simplest case, these animals hide among coral twigs, in crevices between stones or shell valves, and in sponge cavities. But many crabs do not expect favors from nature, but dig holes themselves in viscous silt or sand. These houses may have one straight passage (often quite deep), or several branched passages with emergency exits; alluring crabs equip the entrance to the hole with a lid. Some species settle under the dome of jellyfish, among the tentacles of sea anemones, in the mantle cavity of mollusks, among needles, or even in the rectum of sea urchins.

These minks on one of the beaches of Malaysia were dug by the closest relatives of soldier crabs - scopimers. Each individual, pushing sand out of the dwelling, rolls it into a neat ball. The droppings of crabs have the same shape when they eat soil.

Crabs have practically no food specialization, they are all omnivores to one degree or another. These animals can eat the bacterial film covering rocks, algae, fallen leaves and flowers, bivalves, polychaete worms, starfish, small crustaceans, and even octopuses. Like crayfish, crabs willingly feast on carrion. Species living in shallow water are happy to “bite” the usual food with soil. Passing sludge through their intestines, they assimilate the microorganisms contained in it. Crabs do not just grab large prey, but butcher it like real gourmets. At the same time, they use claws like a knife and fork: they hold the prey with one, and cut off neat pieces with the other.

A grass crab (Carcinus maenas) is about to dine on a bivalve mollusc.

Reproduction in crabs has a pronounced seasonal character, in different species it is timed to coincide with certain natural phenomena (rainy season, highest tides). For example, Christmas Island red crabs (Gecarcoidea natalis) live on land far from the coast, but move to the surf line to lay their eggs. Their migration is one of the most grandiose phenomena in nature.

Millions of individuals rush towards the goal like a living river, overcoming roads, ditches and other obstacles along the way.

At this time, crabs die en masse under the wheels of transport and the feet of people who are tired of bypassing countless travelers.

To prevent the death of crabs, barriers are being set up along roads on Christmas Island, directing migrants to bypass dangerous routes.

Notice the insects in the frame. These are yellow crazy ants brought to the island by people. They turned out to be a very aggressive and prolific species and have already destroyed 1/3 of the crab population - 20 million individuals!

No less interesting are the mating battles of alluring crabs. With their hypertrophied signal claw, they threaten rivals and even fencing with it in a collision. Then, with waving movements, they give a signal to the female, as if announcing their victory. Such emphasized ritualism has led to the fact that in many species there is a very noticeable difference between males and females (sexual dimorphism).

Duel of alluring crabs.

Before mating, the couple sometimes becomes in a "face to face" position and may remain in this position for several days. Interestingly, one mating is enough for a female to lay fertilized eggs all her life. This is explained by the fact that the male presents her with sperm packed in special bags - spermatophores. In them, germ cells remain viable for many years; during the next season, the female dissolves the spermatophore membrane with special secretions and fertilization occurs again. The fecundity of crabs is very high and amounts to tens of thousands and millions of eggs. The female bears them on ventral legs from a couple of weeks to several months. The hatched larvae are free-swimming.

Swimming crab larva.

After several molts, they turn into young crabs, which settle in biotopes characteristic of a particular species. The life expectancy of these crustaceans ranges from 3-7 years in small species to 50-70 years in a huge spider crab.

Japanese spider crab (Macrocheira kaempferi).

Due to the great diversity and abundance, crabs have many enemies. Fish, octopuses, crocodiles encroach on their lives, sea stars, seagulls and practically everything predatory beasts wandering on the coast. Raccoons-crayfish generally specialize in picking up crabs on the shore. Such intense interest from carnivores forced these crustaceans to create a variety of ways to protect themselves. The simplest of them is disguise. It is achieved in some cases by coloring, which very accurately reproduces the color and even the pattern of the substrate on which the given species occurs.

The caramel crab (Hoplophrys oatesii) mimics the color and shape of the dendroneftia coral on which it lives.

In other cases, surrounding objects are used for cover. For example, bashful crabs cover themselves with a shield-shell, decorator crabs cut pieces of bryozoans, hydroids with claws and plant them on their backs, gluing them with special secretions. On the back of the crab, these colonial animals continue to develop and turn its shell into a flower bed.

It is difficult to recognize a well-camouflaged decorator crab (Camposcia retusa) in this creeping bush.

Dromia crab looks for a sponge and, like a real seamstress, cuts a piece out of it exactly the size of its back.

Dromia crab (Dromia erythropus) resembles an old woman in a beret. Since his body is rather fleshy, the drome has to look for a flap with a curve that perfectly repeats the bulges of his carapace.

If the disguise did not help, active methods of protection are used. Large crabs become in a fighting stance and raise their claws up. If the hint is not understood by the offender, they use their wire cutters and are able to inflict deep cuts. Boxer crabs always keep anemones in their claws, the stinging cells of which are dangerous even for relatively large animals.

A female boxer crab (Lybia tessellata) in a fighting stance with sea anemones. Egg laying is visible on the abdomen of this individual.

Many species are capable of autotomy (self-amputation). At the sight of an enemy, the crab throws off its leg by contraction of special muscles. At the same time, the valves at the place of separation immediately close the wound and stop the bleeding. If such a handout was not enough, the victim offers the next limb to the predator. Severed legs grow back after several molts.

From a zoological point of view, crabs are the same crayfish, only short-tailed. Their small head is hidden in a special recess under the edge of the shell. In the shape of their body, all crabs differ sharply from the rest of their crustacean relatives. The fact is that in adults, the abdomen is shortened and bent down, and if you look at this creature from above, you can only notice its rounded cephalothorax. Like all other representatives of the world of fauna, these creatures have their own hierarchy, which is headed by the so-called king crab.

king of crabs

The second name of the king crab is Kamchatka. This is one of the largest crustacean animals inhabiting water bodies. Far East. Delicious, tender and nutritious meat made the king crab an object of constant fishing, including illegal. The history of the appearance of this creature in the waters Russian Federation quite simple: in the middle of the last century, this type of crustacean was deliberately introduced into

The king crab is a massive and powerful crustacean animal. Often the width of its shell reaches 26 cm, and in individuals inhabiting in general 29 cm! The span of the walking limbs of this creature ranges from 1 to 1.5 meters, and the weight is up to 7 kg. Crab claws are located on the first pair of walking legs, while the right claw is slightly larger and stronger than the left. The animal needs it for breaking mussel shells, for destroying shells, etc. The left claw is needed for crushing food. By the way, this crab feeds exclusively with the help of its left claw.

Where does king crab live?

The habitat of this creature is very large and diverse. Kamchatka crab can be found in the Okhotsk, Japanese and Scientists who observed the vital activity of these crustaceans came to the conclusion that their greatest concentration is concentrated off the western coast of Kamchatka. It is there that the main crab fishing takes place from year to year.

Reproduction of king crabs

The king crab (the photo is presented in the article) reaches sexual maturity by 8-10 years, unless, of course, we are talking about males. Females become sexually mature a little earlier. These creatures can be called real travelers: from year to year they repeat the same seasonal route. They spend the winter cold under water at a depth of 250 m, spending almost the entire winter there. With the onset of spring, crabs return to their native coast for molting and subsequent reproduction. When autumn comes, they again go to the depths. And so constantly.

It is estimated that one female king crab is capable of laying up to 300,000 eggs during the breeding season! Like all crayfish, females of these crabs carry eggs on their abdominal legs throughout the year. The nature of the wanderings of these creatures largely depends on fluctuations in water temperature. From their permanent wintering grounds, they move to the shores in whole shoals: during this period, hundreds of thousands of long-legged king crabs move along the bottom of the sea. The spectacle, of course, is amazing!

It is worth noting that during this period, females carry already almost formed larvae. On the way to the cherished shallow water, the latter hatch from their eggs and begin to swim independently in the water column. Their mothers, meanwhile, continue on their way. Unfortunately, many larvae do not live up to their "adulthood", as they are a favorite prey of various

In general, king crabs are slow-growing creatures, and water temperature is of decisive importance here. For example, in warm waters American coasts, they grow and develop twice as fast.

Kamchatka crab is a valuable object of fishing

The natural life expectancy of king crabs is 20 years, but many of them are not destined to live that long. And all because of the constant human hunting for them: the king crab is the most valuable commercial product that is in demand all over the world! When catching them, preference is given to males with a shell length of more than 13 cm. Females are usually not caught.

Crab claws are an exquisite delicacy. Its right claw is especially valuable and tasty, in which the most tender and nutritious meat is concentrated. By the way, the meat of this crab is rich in all the necessary vitamins, amino acids and minerals: zinc, protein, iodine and other substances provide our body with invaluable benefits. The shells and innards of these creatures are processed into useful fertilizer.

Beware poachers!

The originality of king crabs and the high demand for them from consumers provoked the illegal capture of these animals. Poachers are on the alert: there are many crabs of dubious quality on the domestic market. This is poaching products.

Basically, "illegal" crabs come to us from Barents Sea, and the catch of Far Eastern poachers almost never reaches the European part of our country. All this leads to the fact that crustaceans are massively exported to Japan. Employees of Rospotrebnadzor do not recommend eating such products, because only God knows what quality such a king crab is.

The price of the meat of these animals corresponds to its quality. For example, a kilogram of a king crab knee will cost about 1,300 rubles, and a kilogram of the second phalanx will cost about 1,700 rubles. For a whole crab, say, weighing 5 kg, you will have to pay about 10,000 rubles. That's it expensive pleasure! And it's not by accident.

As mentioned above, king crab meat is an indispensable source of all microelements, vitamins and, of course, minerals necessary for our body. Doctors recommend eating as many dishes prepared from this animal as possible. This helps to increase visual acuity, improve the condition of the body in case of cardiovascular diseases and anemia.

Probably, many people remember how at the beginning of the 2000s a delicacy, called in the common people, came to the table to the Russians crab sticks. Of course, then the Russians didn’t even think that this product had nothing to do with crab, only if the taste colored coating of red color on this “delicacy”, which actually contains only white fish fillet and starch.

Crab meat is a unique delicacy for middle lane Russia and an everyday product for residents, for example, the Far East. There, the meat of the Far Eastern king crab is cheaper and much better in quality.

Peculiarities

King crab is the second name of the Kamchatka inhabitant of the seas. So it was nicknamed by the Japanese because of its impressive size compared to other crustacean representatives.

The area of his stay is the coast of Sakhalin, the Kuril Islands, the island of Hokkaido, the Sea of \u200b\u200bOkhotsk and the Barents Sea. In the Barents Sea, it was brought to the shores of Murmansk in the 60s, when the USSR began to compete with Japan for catching crab. In this regard, zoologists decided that the Soviets would have no competitors in the Barents Sea, but they turned out to be wrong. The royal restless crab has multiplied to the coast of Norway and the Norwegians have already begun to compete with the USSR. Although in fact at first they did not know what to do when this prankster ate all their coastal fauna. The solution to this problem was the catch and sale of this seafood for export. Now Norway is one of the world leaders in this industry.

The largest king crabs live off the coast of Canada, where they were introduced at the end of the last century. Their carapace reaches a maximum size of 29 cm in width, they have the most big weight due to favorable living conditions.

Crustaceans of the Barents Sea - up to 25 cm wide. In the Sea of \u200b\u200bJapan, babies are found 22 cm wide on average. In Kamchatka, crabs often mate with other species, and specifically with the snow crab, and therefore their size is not so large, although the gene pool is quite viable.

The largest crab at the age of 19 weighs 5-6 kg. Its average weight is about 3 kg. The leg span of the king crab can be up to 1.7 m. The first phalanx of the crab leg is the largest, longest and very fleshy. Meat from its total volume is up to 70%.

Kamchatka crab is a predator. It eats many marine life, from crustaceans to small fish. Starfish can also suffer from their attack. In general, crabs are omnivorous, however, they switch to vegetarianism only in the absence of other more nutritious prey.

The crab itself can also become prey. It is preyed upon by sea otters and octopuses. And, of course, without a person, this business is also not complete.

Kamchatka crab is a very unique arthropod. While an ordinary crab lives only in salt water, the Kamchatka representative can quite easily live in fresh waters rivers and lakes. In fact, it belongs to the species of crayfish. And this is the first feature of the king crab.

Another feature has the first of the five pairs of limbs. It is developed absolutely asymmetrically, since each performs its own function: one is needed by the crab for eating, and the second breaks the shells of the crab's victims.

Kamchatka crustaceans, unlike other crabs, have antennae, and the color of their shell is brown with purple spots.

Another feature of the structure also indicates its direct relationship with crayfish, namely its soft tail. The shell itself and the chest area of the creature is decorated with conical spikes. Adult crabs, like crayfish, shed their "armor" once a year. In old age, this process slows down, but young individuals molt more often - about two times a year.

The period of his life is relatively short - about 15-20 years, while females mature only by the age of 8, however, they immediately begin to lay eggs in large numbers, about 300 thousand eggs. Only 10% of them survive. The rest go to feed marine life at the larval stage.

At present, the number of king crab has thinned, so crab fishing is allowed only in certain places. It is also prohibited to capture female crabs and young representatives of this species.

Comparison with other species

The opilio crab, or snow crab, also lives in the waters of the Pacific Ocean. It is smaller than the Kamchatka one and reaches a width of only 15 cm. Its shell is not protected by spikes, and the claws resemble scissors. Its population is huge and exceeds the population of the king crab, which is why the cost of the snow crab is lower than that of the Far Eastern crab. It lives in the Sea of Okhotsk and off the coast of Sakhalin.

Its relatives are also found off the coast of Alaska, which are called the snow crab. In cold waters, it survives due to its ability to adapt to harsh conditions. He has greater vitality and is completely fearless to the cold. In size, its shell is about 14 cm wide, and its weight is up to 1 kg.

Another representative of the crabs is the frog crab. Its meat tastes like gilthead fish, and it looks like a frog. Its average weight is from 0.2 to 0.4 kg.

The blue crab lives in the expanses of the North, Baltic Seas, as well as in Atlantic Ocean. Compared to king crab meat, blue crab meat is much softer and more tender, but the most tender ingredient in the body of a marine inhabitant is about 40%, so its fillet is more expensive, and it is used as an additional component in a dish. The weight of a whole carcass is from 0.4 to 0.5 kg.

In the hairy crab that lives off the coast of Sakhalin, there is more meat than in Kamchatka, and it also has a liver, which has a beneficial effect on the body in almost the same way as oysters. The weight of the big representative of this species - 2 kg.

In the Bering, Okhotsk and Japan Seas, another crab-like species lives - the spiny crab. The difference between the two representatives is in the amount of meat. It, unlike the “Kamchatka brother”, is juicier and tastier, however, the fibers are smaller. It is lighter than the king crab, since it Weight Limit- up to 1.8 kg.

Compound

The composition of crab meat contains the most important amino acids and other biologically active substances, necessary for the normal functioning of the human body:

vitamin A - 30 mcg;
retinol - 0.03 mg;
thiamine (B1) - 0.05 mg;
riboflavin - 0.08 mg;
pantothenic acid (B5) - 0.6 mg;
pyridoxine (B6) - 0.35 mg;
folates (B9) - 20 mcg;
cobalamin (B12) - 1 mcg;
ascorbic acid (C) - 1 mg;
alpha-tocopherol (E) - 1.5 mg;
vitamin PP - 3 mg
potassium - 310 mg;
calcium - 100 mg;
magnesium - 50 mg;
sodium - 250 mg;
sulfur - 182 mg;
phosphorus - 260 mg;
iron - 4.3 mg;
cholesterol - 70 mg;
saturated fatty acids - 0.2 g.

Calorie content and nutritional value

The composition of BJU crab meat weighing 100 g is as follows:

proteins - 18.29 g;
fats - 0.6 g;
carbohydrates - 0 g.

Its calorie content is low - about 70 kcal, which allows nutritionists to include it in the diet of their patients. The king crab contains 24% of the daily requirement of protein, 1% fat and 0% carbohydrates.

The daily norm of minerals that make up 100 g of crab meat is expressed by the following indicators:

calcium - 4.6%;
manganese - 1.5%;
potassium - 4.3%;
iron - 5.9%;
magnesium - 12.3%;
phosphorus - 31.3%;
zinc - 54.1%;
sodium - 64.3%;
selenium - 66.2%;
copper - 102.4%.

In 100 g of crab meat, 80 of them are water. It also contains ash substances, which are few - only 1.2 g.

Benefit

Crab meat is a versatile product that can be served both as a main course and as a side dish. Possessing near useful qualities, it has a beneficial effect on the body, therefore, using crab meat in your diet, a person receives not only pleasure, but also saturates his body with useful substances.

Of course, crab meat is very useful product which explains its high price. It contains a complex of B vitamins, which regulate the work of one of the most important human organs - the heart. It also maintains normal hemoglobin levels. Vitamin B5 ensures the normal functioning of the brain and the entire nervous system. Folic acid (B9) is very important for the normal development of pregnancy and, in particular, the fetus itself. Potassium and calcium, as well as phosphorus, are necessary for the normal development and formation of bone tissue.

Proteins, which are the most in crab meat, are responsible for the structure of muscle tissue. Connective tissue they are completely absent, so they are absorbed in full.

Crab meat is often used in dietary nutrition, since its calorie content is small and that's all. necessary elements, which are so important in a limited diet, are present in the crab. Thus, a person, sitting on a diet and eating crab meat, does not deprive himself of useful substances.

Iodine in the composition of meat regulates the normal functioning of the thyroid gland, and fatty acids help in the fight against anemia and atherosclerosis.

Magnesium in combination with B vitamins tends to have a positive effect on emotional condition person, relieves aggression and reduces nervousness.

In crabs, there is a rather large amount of copper - an element that a woman needs during pregnancy and lactation, since during the bearing of a child, the need for this element increases.

Omega-3 and omega-6 acids filter cholesterol in the blood and minimize the possibility of heart attack and stroke.

Crab meat is very useful in the event of the following pathologies and abnormalities:

myopia;
farsightedness;
anemia;
disruption of the digestive system;
excessive weight gain;
disorders of the heart muscle;
deviations in the work of the thyroid gland.

Undoubtedly, crab meat is a very tasty product. But in addition to gastronomic pleasures, crabs also benefit in industrial production, and in medicine. It is known that his body and some of his insides are covered with a chitinous layer. The substance chitin is widely used in the following industries:

in medicine, it is used in production for the manufacture of a self-absorbable thread;
in textile production, it acts as a dye;
can improve the quality of paper, so it is used in the paper industry;
helps fight radiation, so it is used to create drugs against radiation.

Harm

Due to their location in the food chain, these crustaceans often have to eat carrion. Often it enters the body of an arthropod not in at its best. After consuming it, he can get sick with various infections and transmit viruses and microbes. Therefore, crab meat is not always useful for humans. In this regard, it is necessary to use only certified products in food in order to avoid negative consequences.

Allergy to seafood is also a contraindication to eating crab meat.

During pregnancy, there are no contraindications for the use of crab meat for food, however, only in small quantities and not more than 1 time per week, and then if the pregnant woman is not allergic to it. Lactation, on the other hand, excludes the use of this meat by the nursing mother, since the stomach of the baby in the first months is very sensitive, as is its immune system.

How to choose?

Knowing how to choose quality meat, you can easily cook it at home for your loved ones no worse than any chef.

When choosing crab meat, you need to know where exactly in the body of the king crab it is concentrated. Edible places are the limbs (in particular, the claws) and the abdomen or abdomen. The taste of meat depends on many factors: what the crab ate, how old it is, whether it is a female or a male, what size it is.

If he fed exclusively on carrion, then it is quite possible that crab meat is infected with some kind of microbes. Large individuals and female individuals are not particularly tasty and are not at all dietary due to too fatty meat.

Supermarkets sell crab meat in different interpretations - raw, boiled, frozen, dried and in other forms. It can even be found in ready-made frozen dishes. They just need to be warmed up.

If you buy crab meat from a Kamchatka representative in a raw and chilled form, then you need to know how to check it and what to look for in order to get a really high-quality product from the seller for a lot of money.

The first phalanx of the crab limb is the fleshiest. The short second phalanx no longer has as much meat as the first, so they are less often sent for sale. The knee is the part of the leg where the phalanges articulate. It is often used as an appetizer, as it is as much a delicacy as shrimp.

As for the first pair of limbs, meat is also present in both claws, but in structure it is completely different. In the fighting fist, that is, in a larger claw, there is a lot of meat and it is quite dense, rich in proteins and proteins. The smaller claw contains a smaller percentage of meat, but is sweeter in taste and softer in texture.

The softest and most tender meat is in the so-called "rose", that is, in the shoulder, where the legs are connected to the body of the crustacean.

For salad mixes, crab slices or crab mix are also suitable, where parts of crab meat are sold in bulk. Salad meat usually contains different parts that could not be sold as a whole.

If you buy live crab in its natural form, then here are some recommendations for choosing it.

A live healthy representative of crustaceans is active. You need to choose a medium-sized crab, since there is very little meat in small crabs, and in large ones it can be tasteless or have no taste at all.
There is more meat in males, so it is recommended to buy them. You can determine the gender by the tail: in females it is wider and more noticeable.
If the crab is bought in a shell, then when you press it, it should remain solid even after heat treatment and frost. If the crab is young and medium in size, the shell of such a representative may not be completely solid due to its change during the catch, since it was caught at the time of the formation of a new “armor”. By the way, this representative is the most delicious.
If a live crustacean is stored in a store aquarium, then when it is caught, it should not have a fishy smell from it. Boiled crab exudes a sweetish aroma.
When buying a live marine life, you need to inspect his body for cuts. Microbes can be present in wounds, which negatively affect the taste characteristics of meat.
The eyes should not be pale grey. A healthy crab has black shiny eyes.
Plaque on the shell should be absent. Any spots on the crustacean indicate its illness.

inactive and inactive;
too big crab;
adult soft shell crabs;
male or female with pale, dull eyes;
scratched or damaged crab.

Frozen carcasses can be bought both in specialized seafood stores and in ordinary supermarkets. In connection with the sanctions, at present, domestic Kamchatka seafood is most often brought for sale. In the frozen state of an arthropod, it is not always possible to examine it well, therefore it is very difficult to make a purchase decision. It is necessary to check the expiration date of the product, as well as all certificates and trade permits of the store that sells seafood.

There should not be much ice on the carcass. It is necessary to give preference to the product in a dry freeze. Usually this procedure is performed directly on the ship using air cooled to a temperature of -40 degrees.

Crab meat can only be frozen once, so if there is snow in the refrigerated product, it means that it has already been thawed for sale and cannot be refrozen. If this crustacean is presented as freshly caught, and the seller does not comment on the snow, it is recommended that you no longer go to this dubious store or ask the seller for documents and certificates.

Crab meat is also sold in canned form. Canned meat is of the highest and first grade. Most often, canned food is made on floating factories. So fresh, just caught crabs from the ship immediately go to production.

When buying such a product in cans, unfortunately, it will not be possible to evaluate its quality visually. Canned food is also sold in glass containers, in which parts of the carcass are clearly visible. They should be creamy white with red stripes. Water in canned foods should be no more than 20% of the total weight of the contents. And, of course, when choosing a can of canned food, you should always look at the expiration date and date of manufacture.

How to cook crab, see the following video.

Kamchatka crab (lat. Paralithodes camtscaticus) is one of the largest representatives of the Crab-like hermit crabs (lat. Lithodidae) family. The span of its legs can reach 1.8 m, and its weight exceeds 7 kg. For its impressive size and valuable meat, it is also called the king crab.

Spreading

The original habitat was in the Bering Sea and the northern waters of the Pacific Ocean. In the 1960s, Soviet scientists moved part of the population to the Barents Sea near Murmansk. For this, aviation was involved, since transportation by rail turned out to be ineffective. Animals died already after a two-day stay in transport tanks.

The species successfully acclimatized in new conditions, and 30 years later began its active distribution towards the coast of Norway.

It persistently captures new territories at a speed of about 50 km per year. At present, its numbers off the northern coast of Europe have increased so much that it poses a threat to the continued existence of many native species. marine fauna. According to various estimates, it now stands at 120-140 million individuals.

In Norway, excessively bred crustaceans are called "Stalin's crabs." In recent years, Norwegian activists have been insistently demanding that their government take decisive action and stop the growing expansion of Far Eastern settlers. Biologists do not share such calls, believing that it will stop by itself.

Commercial catch

Commercial fishing for king crab in Norway began in 1994. It runs from October to December. Its volumes are controlled by Norwegian-Russian agreements, according to which only males are allowed to be caught. For catching, special boxes are used, in which up to a hundred animals are placed. They rarely get into fishing nets and in small quantities, therefore they continue to be considered an exquisite and expensive delicacy.

They are supplied to the retail network in live, frozen and boiled form. Sold as whole copies, and separately legs and claws. Fresh king crab weighing about 3 kg in the EU costs up to 300 euros.

Crab meat contains everything nutrients which are essential for the human body. It is especially rich in proteins, B vitamins and selenium, which has a strong antioxidant effect and prevents the development of cancer.

Features of physiology

The king crab feels comfortable at water temperatures from 1.5 ° to 11 ° C at a depth of 4 to 300 m. It annually makes seasonal migrations to deeper waters in winter months and returns in early spring in shallow water for procreation. Adults prefer muddy or sandy seabeds, while larvae tend to settle near coasts in dense aquatic vegetation where they can hide from predators. Males like colder water, at 1.7°C they spend the least amount of energy.

From mid-June to mid-November, the entire population moves to a depth below the summer jump layer (thermocline).

When bad weather rages in the surface layers of the sea due to their strong heating and wind mixing, crustaceans enjoy peace and quiet at the bottom. To start molting, the water must warm up to 8 ° C. In such conditions, it starts, but goes slowly. Rapid molting occurs at 12°C, so crabs are forced to constantly migrate to warmer areas for its safe passage.

Young individuals can stay in waters with low salinity, while adults require a higher concentration of salt.

Due to their small size and fragility of the exoskeleton in young animals, the concentration of sodium and potassium ions in the hemolymph is relatively low and increases as the body matures and the exoskeleton thickens. This makes it possible for large crabs to increase or decrease the osmotic pressure inside the body, respectively, at increased or decreased salinity.

With water acidity of 7.8-8 pH, the growth of crabs slows down. If the acidity exceeds these values for a long time, then the death of the animal will occur due to a violation of acid-base homeostasis.

For breathing, five types of gills are used, located in the gill chamber inside the carapace. Their surface is covered with chitinous cuticles with partially permeable membranes that carry out gas exchange based on diffusion. The opening to the gill chamber is located at the base of the walking legs. Water is removed from it through a hole in the front of the lower edge of the carapace. In the air, the crab can not live for long, extracting oxygen from the moisture in the gill chamber.

Food

King crabs, like many other types of crustaceans, are omnivores. Cannibalism is widespread among them, and they willingly eat their weaker and smaller relatives.

With their right claw they tear the victim apart, and with the left they eat its meat.

The basis of the diet is mollusks, starfish and hedgehogs. Algae and various representatives of the benthic fauna are also eaten. Carrion is considered a special delicacy. Feeding can be carried out at any time of the day. The maximum activity is observed in the evening and at night.

reproduction

The mating season begins in early spring. Obsessed with the idea of procreation, males cease to see only food in females and are overwhelmed with the highest feelings towards them. They spend many days with them in a row, driving away competitors and taking care of their health. The noble gentleman is even capable of for a long time to guard the entrance to the shelter, where the lady of his heart undergoes another molt.

After the fertilization of the eggs, the ardent boyfriend loses interest in his beloved and goes home. The female lays from 25 to 40 thousand eggs, which are placed between the belly and tail in a special protected bag on walking legs. She constantly moves them so that there is a constant influx of fresh water to the eggs. Their gestation lasts about 11 months.

The hatched larvae immediately leave the mother and hide in the thick of aquatic vegetation. Two weeks later, they migrate from shallow water to the deep sea.

At this time, their body length ranges from 50 to 70 mm. The larvae feed mainly on plankton. By the next spring, they already resemble their adult compatriots. They molt very often, which leads to rapid growth. Sexual maturity occurs no earlier than 6 years of age, after which growth slows down, and molting occurs only once a year.

Description

The width of the carapace of adults reaches 20-25 cm, and the span of the limbs is 150-180 cm. The average weight is 6-8 kg. Some especially large specimens weigh 10-12 kg. Color varies with age, habitat and diet. It is reddish, reddish brown, brownish, golden yellow or bluish.

The carapace on the back is covered with multiple spines. There are six walking legs and two claws, which also have spikes. Red stripes run through them. There are many small brown spots on the belly. On the front of the shell, small notches are clearly visible.

The tip of the rostrum is pointed and armed from above with one large spine and a pair of small spines. On the basis of the external antennae there is a movable spike (scaphocerite). The right claw is larger than the left. The life expectancy of the king crab reaches 30 years.

In the waters of the seas washing the shores of the Far East of our country, a creature called the king crab lives. It belongs to the type of animals - crustaceans. Although outwardly the animal looks like a crab, scientists still classify it as a hermit crabs family, believing that its biological essence falls under this category.

We will not argue with them, but we will simply find out more closely - what kind of cancer is it, called the crab.

What is the appearance of the king crab?

It is believed that this is one of the largest representatives of crustaceans. The width of the shell is approximately 25 centimeters, and if the crab opens its legs, then the distance from one leg to the other will increase to one and a half meters! An average king crab weighs about 7.5 kilograms (although females are almost twice as light). The whole body of the animal is a fused head and chest (cephalothorax), covered with a large shell. The animal has no tail.

Inside, the crab is arranged as if backwards: its heart is located in the back of the body, and the stomach, on the contrary, is in the head. In total, the animal has ten limbs, but for “walking” it uses only eight legs. The remaining two legs are used as a "device" for clearing the gills.

The carapace and limbs of the animal have a dark red color, sometimes even with a purple tint, and the abdominal part is painted in a yellowish-white hue.

Where does the animal live?

His area of residence is northern regions the seas surrounding the Far East region, namely: the Kamchatka region, the territory of the Shantar and Kuril Islands, the shores of Sakhalin Island, the northern territory of the Sea of Japan, the Bristol Bay, the Sea of Okhotsk and the Bering Sea.

The lifestyle of the king crab

AT marine environment lives at a depth of 2 to 270 meters, choosing a flat sandy or muddy bottom for living. This crab cannot be called settled, it constantly migrates, but always along the same route.

In the cold season, it sinks deep to the bottom - up to 200 meters, and after wintering it rises to the upper layers of water warmed by the spring sun. Moulting in these animals (adults) occurs once a year, while not only the outer shell (shell) changes, but even the walls internal organs(heart, esophagus and stomach).

AT natural environment these creatures are able to live 15 - 20 years.

What does the king crab eat

The main food for this crab is worms, sea urchins, small fish, plankton and a variety of shellfish.

The mating season and offspring of the king crab

The breeding season falls on these marine life at the beginning of spring. After mating games, the male and female mate, as a result of which the female lays great amount eggs (up to 400 thousand!).

The eggs hatch into small larvae, only the size of a small fly. The “newborn” crab has no legs, and in general it is poorly protected. That is why the larva settles to the bottom, in a thicket of underwater plants, and lives there for about two months. Three years after birth, a small crab moves from the old "place of residence" and begins to live on sandy soil. When a baby king crab is 5-7 years old, it begins the process of migration.

Who are the natural enemies of the king crab?

These underwater inhabitants become prey for sea otters, cod and other fish, gobies, hairy quadrangular crab. But the first place in the extermination of this species, undoubtedly, belongs to man.

What is the interest of people? Why do they hunt these marine life?

The answer is obvious - a person is ready to uncontrollably consume everything that brings him benefit and benefit. So the king crab was no exception because of its most valuable, incredibly tasty and healthy meat. Mass capture, which lasted for a long time, led to a sharp reduction in the number of this species of marine animals. Therefore, strict state control is currently established on the extraction of king crabs. Unfortunately, this ban did not affect the activities of poachers, and they still, breaking the law, catch these marine inhabitants for profit.