Pie crust crab

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Pie crust crab
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Malacostraca
Subclass: Crustacea
Order: Decapoda
Infraorder: Brachyura
Family: Cancridae
Genus: Cancer
Species: C. novaezelandiae
Binomial name
Cancer novaezelandiae
(Jacquinot, 1853)

The pie crust crab, Cancer novaezelandiae, is a species of crab found around New Zealand, and south-eastern Australia where it was introduced in the early 20th century.

It lives in sheltered reefs down to 20 m in depth. The carapace width is up to 190 mm. It eats small marine invertebrates.

This species has large claws and a typically large carapace with an indented edge reminiscent of the indented edge of a pie. It is not uncommon, but as it is nocturnal it is not often seen.

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