Pie Crust Crab

About

An easy to identify crab the edge of the carapace looks somewhat like the pressed or crimped edge of pie and the shape of the carapace being wider across than it is narrow in length. The eyes set close to the middle of the carapace with four notches between the eyes. The claws are large with the colour of the crab dark reds to browns. Washed up shells may be whiteish.

A traditional food source for the New Zealand Maori as a larger crab that lives in the shallows it was and is an easy capture as source of food.

Note: This crab was added to the National Introduced Marine Pest Information System in 2017 believed to have been introduced from New Zealand at some stage in the past. Whilst there is little information as to when and what impacts this species will have locally.

Identification

An easy to identify crab with the edge of the carapace looking somewhat like the pressed or crimped edge of pie and the shape of the carapace being wider across than it is narrow in length. The eyes set close to the middle of the carapace with four notches between the eyes. The claws are large with the colour of the crab dark reds to browns. Washed up shells may be whiteish.

Size

Can grow to around 190mm across the carapace

Habitat

Sheltered reef areas out to a depth of around 20m

Distribution

New Zealand and South-eastern Australia including Tasmania

Gallery

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Local Sightings

1 recorded sighting in and around the area.

References & citations (2)

1. The Atlas of Living Australia (accessed 2021-09-22 14:03:33)
2. WoRMS (2021). Metacarcinus novaezelandiae (Hombron & Jacquinot, 1846). (accessed 2021-09-22 14:03:33)