King crabs are one of the most delicious and sought-after seafood delicacies Their sweet, succulent meat commands premium prices, especially for prized specimens like the massive red king crab But just how big do king crabs grow? The sizes of different king crab species vary, but some can reach truly astounding proportions.
As someone who loves indulging in a king crab feast, I decided to research the dimensions of these monstrous crustaceans. I wanted to get a better sense of how big they can get before they end up on our dinner plates. Here’s a breakdown of king crab sizes and some perspective on what makes them such colossal creatures.
A Quick Intro to King Crabs
Before diving into specifics on size, let’s review some key facts about king crabs There are around 137 species of these marine animals, which are actually not true crabs but more closely related to hermit crabs The two main groups or subfamilies are Hapalogastrinae and Lithodinae.
Some of the most commonly fished and eaten species belong to the genera Paralithodes and Lithodes. This includes the Alaskan red king crab (Paralithodes camtschaticus) and the blue king crab (Paralithodes platypus). Other well-known types are the golden king crab (Lithodes aequispinus) and the Norway king crab (Lithodes maja).
Massive Measurements – Width and Leg Span
Now onto the real numbers! When it comes to king crab dimensions, two key stats are carapace (shell) width and leg span.
Red king crabs are renowned as the largest species. Their carapace can reach up to 28 cm (11 inches) across. Compare that to a dinner plate – it’s bigger than some people’s heads!
The leg span of a huge red king crab can stretch an incredible 1.8 m (6 feet). Imagine the table space needed for a whole cooked crab at that size. Their long, spindly legs make these creatures look like aquatic spiders.
Other king crab species can also get pretty huge. The carapace width of a blue king crab may exceed 8 kg (18 pounds). That’s wider than your torso!
The mammoth king crabs found around St. Matthew Island in Alaska are the stuff of legend among crab fishermen. Tales tell of specimens with leg spans over 9 feet across.
Towering Height – Up to 1.5 Feet Tall
With their long, thick legs and bulky shells, king crabs can grow upwards as well as outwards.
When standing, an adult red king crab can measure around 1.5 feet tall. That’s as high as a toddler!
Other species like golden and blue king crabs often reach 1 foot in height at full stance. Even normally petite female crabs stand 8 inches or more off the seafloor.
Chunky Weight – Up to 24 Pounds!
We’ve covered the impressive dimensions, but how much does all that crab meat actually weigh? A whole crab can tip the scales at staggering amounts.
The heaviest red king crabs clock in around 24 pounds. You’d struggle to lift that with one hand!
A hefty blue king crab can weigh over 17 pounds. That’s like carrying around a small dog.
Even “smaller” species like golden and Norway crabs often top 10 pounds in their largest sizes.
Why So Big? Evolutionary Advantages
King crabs didn’t grow to these monster proportions just for our gastronomic enjoyment. Their supersized shells and legs serve key survival purposes.
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Thick legs allow king crabs to stand high off soft seafloors, keeping their vulnerable undersides away from predators.
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A wide carapace provides ample space to store their reproductive organs. Females can carry up to 100,000 eggs!
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Large overall size deters potential predators who might find them too daunting to attack and eat.
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Their considerable strength helps them crush thick shells of clams, mussels and other prey.
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Long legs span gaps between food sources and mates across expansive seabeds.
Next time you crack open an Alaskan king crab leg longer than your hand, appreciate the powerful body that it came from! While not quite as gigantic as dinosaurs, king crabs are true gentle giants of the sea.
Medium Gold King Crab (20/up size) (3LB)
Share with a crowd! These King Crab legs are perfect for dropping in your favorite boil.
WILD PRODUCT OF RUSSIA APPROX. 3 POUNDS Medium Gold King Crab (20/up size) (3LB) quantity
There is a type of King Crab called the Gold King Crab that is more orange than the Red King Crab. Even though it looks paler, this crab tastes and feels the same as red king crab because they are both king crab. Expect a rich, complete flavor and a delicate texture from these crab legs.
Cooking Tips & Recipes
For best results, cook from frozen. Do not refreeze. Product is already cooked, so simply reheat and enjoy.
Steam: (recommended)
Place legs in a shallow baking dish with 1/8 inch water. Cover with foil and bake at 400°F for 6-8 minutes. Enjoy immediately.
Grilled:
Lightly oil all sides of each leg, then grill at 300°F for 5 minutes on each side.
Boil: (our least favorite method)
Fill a large pot halfway with water and a Tablespoon of salt before bringing to a boil. Add crab legs and reduce heat to medium. Let simmer for 6 minutes. This is our least favorite method because the hot water leeches the flavor out of the crab.
King Crab leg sizes are determined by the number of legs that make up 10 pounds. In our case, our Jumbo 12-14 legs means that a 10 pound cat would have between 12 and 14 legs, plus some extra claws. There are different weight ranges for each crab size, so you need to do some math (see the table below). Claws are included in each package of legs, but both the number and size differ with each package. The crab has both big and small claws because in the wild it uses a big claw to kill and a small claw to eat.
Any cell marked as “Not Applicable” means that product is unavailable in the associated size.
| Approximate Number of Legs per Weight Increment | |||
| Crab Size | 3 Pound Bag | 10 Pound Case | 20 Pound Case |
| Super Colossal 4-7 | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | 8-14 |
| Colossal 6-9 | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | 12-18 |
| Super Jumbo 9-12 | 2.7-3.6 | 9-12 | 18-24 |
| Jumbo 14-17 | 4.2-5.1 | 14-17 | 28-34 |
| Large 16-20 | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | 32-40 |
| Small 20/up | 6+ | Not Applicable | 40+ |
