What Type of Crab is Mr. Krabs from SpongeBob SquarePants?

Mr. Krabs, the iconic character from the beloved Nickelodeon cartoon SpongeBob SquarePants, is easily recognizable with his large claws, red shell, and love of money. But what exact species of crab is he modeled after? Let’s investigate the evidence and theories about Mr. Krabs’ species identity.

The Case for a Red Rock Crab

One of the most popular theories is that Mr. Krabs is a red rock crab or possibly a Dungeness crab. Here’s some evidence that supports this:

• Appearance: Mr. Krabs has a vivid red shell and large prominent claws, just like real-life red rock crabs. Theirscientific name is even Cancer productus.

• Size: Red rock crabs can grow to about 9 inches wide, making them one of the larger crab species. Mr. Krabs is certainly larger than the other characters.

• Location Red rock crabs are abundant along the Pacific coast of North America The fictional town of Bikini Bottom where SpongeBob takes place is implied to be somewhere off the Pacific coast

• Behavior Red rock crabs are largely solitary creatures who can be very territorial of their homes Mr. Krabs likewise lives alone in an anchor and is protective of his restaurant the Krusty Krab

So in terms of appearance, size, habitat, and personality, Mr Krabs matches up very well with a red rock crab He certainly seems to be modeled on a large, red-shelled crab species common to the Pacific.

A Coconut Crab Theory

However, some fans theorize that Mr. Krabs is actually modeled on the coconut crab or robber crab. Points in favor of this theory:

• Size: Coconut crabs are the largest land-living arthropods, growing over 3 feet wide. Mr. Krabs is one of the biggest characters.

• Claws: Coconut crabs have very large, strong claws they use to crack coconuts. Mr. Krabs has similarly large, strong claws.

• Terrestrial: While red rock crabs live only in the water, coconut crabs live mainly on land. Since we often see Mr. Krabs out of water, a terrestrial crab may make more sense.

• Location: Coconut crabs live in the Indo-Pacific, including Polynesia. Bikini Bottom’s location may be vaguely inspired by Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands.

The coconut crab theory has some compelling points, but their shells are more purple than red. And we see Mr. Krabs swimming frequently, so a fully terrestrial crab is questionable. Still, his huge claws definitely resemble a coconut crab’s.

The Case for A Fictional Species

One problem with assigning Mr. Krabs to any real species is that he has traits that don’t match any single type of crab. For example:

• He has a whale daughter, which obviously no crab does.

• He wears human clothes, uses money, and owns a restaurant – activities real crabs don’t do.

• He displays a wider emotional range than crabs are capable of.

So while Mr. Krabs clearly draws inspiration from real crab species, in the end he is a fictional anthropomorphic character who behaves more like a human than a real crab. He likely represents a fictional species unique to the SpongeBob universe.

While Mr. Krabs doesn’t map neatly onto any existing crab species, the available evidence suggests he is primarily inspired by red rock crabs or similar large, red-shelled crabs of the Pacific coast. But as an anthropomorphic cartoon character, Mr. Krabs belongs to a fictional species that inhabits the absurd undersea world of Bikini Bottom. His identity as a crab is less about biology and more about symbolizing his tough exterior, pincers for grasping money, and lack of outward emotion. But whatever species Mr. Krabs truly belongs to, he remains one of the most beloved and recognizable cartoon crustaceans of all time.