Paralithodes camtschaticus
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Paralithodes camtschaticus | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
||||||||||||||||||
| Scientific classification | ||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||
| Binomial name | ||||||||||||||||||
| Paralithodes camtschaticus (Tilesius, 1815) [1] |
The red king crab, Paralithodes camtschaticus, is the most coveted of the commercially sold king crab species, and is the most expensive per unit weight. A red kind crab can be very large, sometimes reaching a carapace width of 11 in (28 cm) and a leg span of 6 ft (1.8 m) [2]. It is most commonly caught in the Bering Sea and Norton Sound, Alaska, and is particularly difficult to catch, but is nonetheless one of the most preferred crabs for consumption and has been said to be tastier than lobster [3]. Red king crab gets its name from the color it turns when it is cooked rather than that of its actual color while still alive, which tends to be more burgundy.
Recently, an overpopulation of red king crabs in the Barents Sea is causing concern about the local biosystems. It was introduced artificially in the Murmansk Fjord in Russia during the 1960s to provide new catch for the Soviet fishermen. Since its introduction it has spread west along the Norwegian coast and also towards the island group of Svalbard [4][5]. Environmentalists and some local fishermen fear the crab because it eats everything it comes across and is spreading very rapidly (despite this threat, some fishing quotas on the crab are still in place). Other fishermen see the king crab as a blessing, as it is a high priced delicacy in some countries. The crab also features on the Discovery Channel's "Deadliest Catch". [6].
[edit] References
- ^ L. L. Jørgensen (2006). Paralithodes camtschaticus. NOBANIS – Invasive Alien Species Fact Sheet. Online Database of the North European and Baltic Network on Invasive Alien Species. Retrieved on 2007-08-15.
- ^ Gregory Jensen (2004). "Order: Decapoda", in Michael Hutchins: Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia 2. Gale, 208. ISBN 0-7876-5362-4.
- ^ A meal to get your claws into. Seafood from Norway (2006-02-06).
- ^ Lars Bevanger. "Norway fears giant crab invasion", BBC News, 2006-08-09.
- ^ Alex Kirby. "King crabs march towards the Pole", BBC News, 2003-09-27.
- ^ Pierre-Henry Deshayes. "Barents Sea teems with 'Stalin's crabs'", Mail & Guardian, 2006-05-24.
