Tasmanian giant crab
Encyclopedia
The Tasmanian giant crab, Pseudocarcinus gigas (sometimes known as the giant deepwater crab, giant southern crab or queen crab) is a species
of crab
that resides in the southern waters of Australia
on the edge of the continental shelf
mostly at depths of 140–270 m (459.3–885.8 ).
width of up to 46 centimetres (18.1 in). It is the only species in the genus Pseudocarcinus. It has a white shell with claws that are splashed in red. The females' shells change colour when they are producing eggs.
n waters since 1992. Following concerns surrounding the sustainability
of catch numbers, the total allowable catch was adjusted in 2004 to 62.1 tonnes (61.1 LT). Twenty-five operators competed for the catch in 2005, delivering a total catch valued at about A$2 million.
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of crab
Crab
True crabs are decapod crustaceans of the infraorder Brachyura, which typically have a very short projecting "tail" , or where the reduced abdomen is entirely hidden under the thorax...
that resides in the southern waters of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
on the edge of the continental shelf
Continental shelf
The continental shelf is the extended perimeter of each continent and associated coastal plain. Much of the shelf was exposed during glacial periods, but is now submerged under relatively shallow seas and gulfs, and was similarly submerged during other interglacial periods. The continental margin,...
mostly at depths of 140–270 m (459.3–885.8 ).
Description
The Tasmanian giant crab is one of the largest crabs in the world, reaching a mass of 13 kilograms (28.7 lb) and a carapaceCarapace
A carapace is a dorsal section of the exoskeleton or shell in a number of animal groups, including arthropods such as crustaceans and arachnids, as well as vertebrates such as turtles and tortoises. In turtles and tortoises, the underside is called the plastron.-Crustaceans:In crustaceans, the...
width of up to 46 centimetres (18.1 in). It is the only species in the genus Pseudocarcinus. It has a white shell with claws that are splashed in red. The females' shells change colour when they are producing eggs.
Fishery
The Tasmanian giant crab has been commercially fished in TasmaniaTasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
n waters since 1992. Following concerns surrounding the sustainability
Sustainability
Sustainability is the capacity to endure. For humans, sustainability is the long-term maintenance of well being, which has environmental, economic, and social dimensions, and encompasses the concept of union, an interdependent relationship and mutual responsible position with all living and non...
of catch numbers, the total allowable catch was adjusted in 2004 to 62.1 tonnes (61.1 LT). Twenty-five operators competed for the catch in 2005, delivering a total catch valued at about A$2 million.