Jonah crab

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Jonah crab
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Malacostraca
Subclass: Crustacea
Order: Decapoda
Infraorder: Brachyura
Family: Cancridae
Genus: Cancer
Species: C. borealis
Binomial name
Cancer borealis
Stimpson, 1859

The Jonah crab (Cancer borealis) is a species of crab found on the Atlantic coast of North America. It is closely related to the Dungeness crab of the Pacific coast,and is known for its strong claws, although it is not a very aggressive species [1]. The claws are so well muscled that they are generally prized as food over legs, which are more typically prized in other crab species. It has been fished on a small scale since the 1970s, with less than 1,500 tonnes being caught annually [2]. In recent years its popularity has been growing.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Jonah crab. Biomes Marine Biology Center. Retrieved on 2006-08-08.
  2. ^ FAO catches list. FishBase. Retrieved on 2006-08-08.