Biological Report 82 ( 11.63) 

August 1986 

TR EL-82·4 

Species Profiles: Life Histories and 

Environmental Requirements of Coastal Fishes 

and Invertebrates {Pacific Northwest) 

~ DUNGENESS CRAB 

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no. 82/11.63 ._., d Wildlife Service 

u.~. uepartment of the Interior 

Coastal Ecology Group 

Waterways Experiment Station 

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 
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Biological Report 82(11.63) 

TR EL-82-4 

August 1986 

Species Profiles: Life Histories and Environmental Requirements 

of Coastal Fishes and Invertebrates (Pacific Northwest) 

DUNGENESS CRAB 

by 

Gilbert B. Pauley, David A. Armstrong, and Thomas W. Heun 

School of Fisheries and Washington Cooperative Fishery Research Unit 

University of Washington 

Seattle, WA 98195 

ARLIS 

(/ 

A1aska Resources 

Libr<~ry & lnformatlon Servtces 

Anchorage, Alaska 

Project Manager 

Carroll Cordes 

Project Officer 

David Moran 

National Wetlands Research Center 

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 

1010 Gause Boulevard 

Slidell, LA 70458 

Performed for 

Coastal Ecology Group 

Waterways Experiment Station 

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 

Vicksburg, MS 39180 

and 

National Wetlands Research Center 

Research and Development 

Fish and Wildlife Service 

U.S. Department of the Interior 

Washington, DC 20240 
This series may be referenced as follows: 

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1983-19 Species profiles: life histories 

and environmental requirements of coastal fishes and invertebrates. U.S. Fish 

Wildl. Serv. Biol. Rep. 82(11). U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, TR EL-82-4. 

This profile should be cited as follows: 

Pauley, G.B., D.A. Armstrong, and T.W. Heun. 1986. Species profiles: life 

histories and en vi ronmenta 1 requirements of coasta 1 fishes and invertebrates 

(Pacific Northwest)--Dungeness crab. U.S. Fish Wildl. Serv. Biol. Rep. 

82(11.63). U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, TR EL-82-4. 20 pp. 
PREFACE 

This species profile is one of a series on coasta 1 aquatic organisms, 

principally fish, of sport, commercial, or ecological importance. The profiles 

are designed to provide coastal managers, engineers, and biologists with a brief 

comprehensive sketch of the biological characteristics and environmental 

requirements of the species and to describe how populations of the species may be 

expected to react to environmental changes caused by coastal development. Each 

profile has sections on taxonomy, life history, ecological role, environmental 

requirements, and economic importance, if applicable. A three-ring binder is 

used for this series so that new profiles can be added as they are prepared. 

This project is jointly planned and financed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 

and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 

Suggestions or questions regarding this report should be directed to one of 

the following addresses. 

Information Transfer Specialist 

National Wetlands Research Center 

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 

NASA-Slidell Computer Complex 

1010 Gause Boulevard 

Slidell, LA 70458 

or 

U.S. Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station 

Attention: WESER-C 

Post Office Box 631 

Vicksburg, MS 39180 

i i i 
~lul tip l y 

millimeters (flln) 

centimeters ( 011) 

meters (m) 

kilometers ( km) 

2 

square meters (m ) 2 sq•Jare kilometers (km) 

hectares (ha) 

l iters ( l) , 

cubic meters (mj) 

cubic meters 

milligrams (mg) 

grams (g) 

kilograms (kg) 

metric tons ( t) 

metric tons 

kilocalories ( kcal) 

Celsius degrees 

inches 

inches 

feet ( ft) 

fathoms 

miles (mi) 

nautical miles (nmi) 

square feet (ft 2 ) 

acres 2 

square miles (mi ) 

gallons (gal) 

cubic feet ( ft 3 ) 

acre-feet 

ounces (oz) 

pounds ( l b) 

short tons (ton) 

British thermal units (Btu) 

Fahrenheit degrees 

CONVERSION TABLE 

Metric to U.S. Cust~nary 

~ 

0.03937 

0.3937 

3. 281 

0.6214 

10.76 

0.3861 

2.471 

0.2642 

35.31 

0.0008110 

0.00003527 

0.03527 

2.205 

2205.0 

1.102 

3.968 

1.8(°C) + 32 

U.S. Customary to Metric 

25.40 

2.54 

0.3048 

1.829 

1.609 

1. 852 

0.092g 

0.4047 

2.5go 

3.785 

0.02831 

1233.0 

28.35 

0.4536 

o.gon 

0.2520 

0.5556(°F - 32) 

iv 

To Obtain 

inches 

inches 

feet 

miles 

square feet 

square miles 

acres 

gallons 

cubic feet 

acre- feet 

ounces 

ounces 

pounds 

pounds 

short tons 

British thennal units 

Fahrenheit degrees 

mill imeters 

centimeters 

meters 

meters 

kilometers 

kilometers 

square meters 

hectares 

square kilometers 

liters 

cubic meters 

cubit meters 

grams 

kilograms 

metric tons 

kilocalories 

Celsius degrees 
PREFACE . . . . . CONVERSION TABLE 

FIGURES . . . . . ACKNOWLEDGMENTS . 

NOMENCLATURE/TAXONOMY/RANGE . MORPHOLOGY/IDENTIFICATION AIDS 

REASON FOR INCLUSION IN SERIES 

LIFE HISTORY . . . . Mating ..... . Eggs and Fecundity 

Larvae . . . . . . Juveniles .... . Adults ...... . GROWTH CHARACTERISTICS 

THE FISHERY . . . . . . Commercial Fishery .. Sport Fishery .... ECOLOGICAL ROLE . . . . ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMENTS 

Temperature . . . . . . . Salinity . . . . . . . . Temperature-Salinity Interactions 

Substrate ... 

LITERATURE CITED . . . . . . . . . 

CONTENTS 

v 

iii 

iv 

vi 

vii 

1 

1 

4 

4 

4 

4 

5 

7 

8 

9 

10 

10 

12 

13 

13 

13 

14 

14 

14 

15 
Number 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

FIGURES 

Dungeness crab. 

Distribution of the Dungeness crab in the Pacific Northwest 

Abdominal differences between female and male Dungeness crabs 

Life cycle stages of the Dungeness crab. 

Changes in dry weight over time of three age classes of 

Dungeness crabs in Grays Harbor, Washington ..... . 

Growth, based on mean carapace width, of 0+ crabs from 

settlement as 7-mm first instars, in May through November. 

Dungeness crab landings by season for individual Pacific 

Coast States and the Province of British Columbia, 1955-83. 

Dungeness crab egg brooding periods at various laboratory 

seawater temperatures. . ............. . 

vi 

1 

2 

3 

6 

10 

10 

11 

13 
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 

We gratefully acknowledge the reviews of this manuscript by David Somerton, 

National Marine Fisheries Service, Seattle, and Paul Dinnel, Fisheries Research 

Institute, University of Washington, Seattle. We thank Vali Frank for her 

assistance with the graphics. Partial support for David Armstrong to acquire and 

analyze some of the original data in this report was provided by Washington Sea 

Grant. 

vii 
Figure 1. Dungeness crab. 

DUNGENESS CRAB 

NOMENCLATURE/TAXONOMY/RANGE 

Scientific name ... Cancer magister 

Dana 

Preferred common name . crab (Figure 1) .Dungeness 

Other common names ... Pacific edible 

crab, edible crab, market crab, 

commercial crab 

Class . Order ... Infraorder 

Family 

.Crustacea 

. Decapoda 

.Brachyura 

. Cancridae 

Geographic range: Coastal waters 

along the west coast of North 

American from Unalaska Island in 

the north to Mexico in the south 

1 

(Schmitt 1921 ; MacKay 1943; But 1 er 

1961a; Mayer 1973). The species 

ranges from the intertidal zone to a 

depth of at least 98 fathoms and 

inhabits substrates of mud, mud with 

eelgrass (Zostera sp.) and sand 

(Schmitt 1921; Butler 1956; Butler 

196la; Stevens 1982). The distribution of the Dungeness crab in the 

Pacific Northwest and the ports of 

major commercial landings are shown 

in Figure 2 . 

MORPHOLOGY/IDENTIFICATION AIDS 

Dorsa 1 and ventra 1 anatomy of a 

Cancer crab is shown in Warner (1977). 
MtLES 

PACIFIC 

OCEAN 

0 ~0 100 

- ...... ~~:::::::J ----, 0 50 100 

W.llOMe_ TEAS 

Coastal distribution 

+ Major commercial 

landing ports 

WASHINGTON 

OREGON 

CALIFORNIA 

--

Figure 2. Distribution of the Dungeness crab in the Pacific Northwest. 

2 
The following morphology and identification aids were taken from Rudy and 

Rudy (1979). Size (type specimen): 

carapace 120.7 mm 1 ong x 177.8 mm 

wide. Color: beige to light brown 

with blue trim and hue, darkest 

anteriorly, often light orange below, 

sometimes light gray-purple below; 

inner sides of anterior feet and hands 

crimson, fingers not dark. Eyes: 

eyestalks short, orbits small. 

Antennae: antennules folded lengthwise: antennal flagella short, more or 

less hairy. Carapace: broadly oval, 

uneven but not highly sculptured; 

granular. Widest at lOth tooth, no 

rostrum. Frontal area: narrow with 

five unequa 1 teeth, not markedly 

produced beyond outer orbital angles; 

middle tooth largest, more advanced 

than outer pair; outer pair form inner 

angles of orbit. Teeth: (anterolateral) ten, counting orbital tooth; 

widest at lOth tooth, which is large 

and projecting; all teeth pointed, 

with anterior separations. Posterolateral margins: unbroken, entire, 

without teeth, meets antero-lateral 

margin with distinct angle. Abdomen: 

narrow in rna 1 e, (:>road in fema 1 e 

(Figure 3). Chelipeds: fingers not 

dark; dactyl spinous on upper surface; 

Female 

fixed finger much defl exed; hand 

(propodus) with six carineae on upper 

outer surface; wrist (carpus) with 

strong inner spine. Walking legs: 

rough above; broad and flat (especially propodus and dactylus of last 

pair). 

Juveniles: antero-lateral and 

postero-lateral margins meet at a 

distinct angle; carapace widest at 

lOth tooth; postero-lateral margin 

entire; carpus of cheliped with 

single spine above, fingers light 

colored; carapace not as broad as 

adults. 

The red rock crab, Cancer productus, also has 10 antero-lateral 

teeth; frontal teeth are subequal 

(not equal) and the frontal area is 

markedly pronounced beyond outer 

orbital angles. Cheliped fingers are 

black; carapace is widest at eighth 

antero-lateral tooth. 

The rock crab, Cancer 

antennarius, like f. productus, is 

dark red with black-tipped chelae, is 

widest at the eighth tooth, but is 

red-spotted on its ventral surface. 

Cancer oregonensis (Oregon Cancer 

Male 

Figure 3. Abdominal differences between female (left) and male (right) Dungeness 

crabs. Only males, which possess a slender abdomen, may be kept by sport and 

commercial crabbers. 

3 
crab) is a small, oval crab with 12 

teeth. Both Cancer graci 1 is and 

Cancer jordani, two rather uncommon 

species , have nine teeth. I dent if ication keys to the genus Cancer were 

prepared by Kozloff (1974) and Carlton 

and Kuris (1975). 

REASON FOR INCLUSION IN SERIES 

The Oungeness crab supports a 

valuable commercial and sport fishery 

along the west coast of the United 

States. It occupies ecological niches 

in both marine and estuarine waters 

and is important as both predator and 

prey at all life stages. Recent 

studies on the environmental 

consequences of dredging in estuaries 

have established a strong probability 

that the Oungeness crab population is 

likely to be seriously reduced by 

habitat alteration from dredging 

unless proper precautions are taken to 

reduce losses (Armstrong et al. 1982; 

Stevens and Armstrong 1984). The loss 

of vital estuarine habitat could 

significantly reduce recruitment to 

the offshore fishery (Armstrong and 

Gunderson 1985). 

LIFE HISTORY 

Mating 

Oungeness crabs mate from April 

to September in British Columbia 

(MacKay 1942; Butler 1956), mostly in 

March and April (David Armstrong, 

University of Washington, pers. comm.) 

but sometimes in May and June in 

Washington (Cleaver 1949), and March 

to July in California (Poole and 

Gotshall 1965). Mating usually occurs 

in offshore locations. Premolt female 

crabs are located by adult males for 

mating, possibly through a pheromonal 

homing system similar to those used by 

other crab species (Knudsen 1964; 

Edwards 1966; Hartnoll 1969). The 

female is held by the male in a 

premat i ng embrace up to 7 days prior 

to her molting (Snow and Neilsen 

4 

1966). Approximately 1 h after 

molting of the female is completed, 

mating between the hardshell male and 

softshell female occurs. Mating 

involves the insertion of the male 

gonopods into the spermathecae of the 

female and the deposition of spermatophores. Following copulation, the 

fema 1 e may be embraced again by the 

male for a period of up to 2 days. 

Both pre- and postmating embraces may 

serve to protect the female from 

predation, while insuring the mating 

success of the male by guarding the 

female against other males (Snow and 

Nei 1 sen 1966). The spermatophores 

deposited by the male in the 

spermathecae contain sperm that are 

viable for many months (MacKay 

1942), and which may remain viable 

through molting until a second egg 

extrusion (Orcutt 1978). Eggs are 

not fertilized until extrusion, at 

which time they are attached to the 

female pleopod setae and are carried 

beneath the abdominal flap (MacKay 

1942; Wild 1983; Stevens 1982). Eggs 

hatch in 60 to 120 days. 

Eggs and Fecundity 

Eggs are extruded from September 

to February in British Columbi~ 

(MacKay 1942; Butler 1956), October to 

December in Washington (Cleaver 1949; 

Mayer 1973), October to March in 

Oregon (Waldrom 1958), and September 

to November in Ca 1 i forni a (Orcutt et 

al. 1976; Wild 1983). An egg mass may 

contain from one to two million eggs 

(Wild 1983), and a female may produce 

up to five million eggs in three or 

four broods during her lifetime 

(MacKay 1942). Eggs are pale white to 

orange at extrusion, becoming progressively darker in color as they develop 

(MacKay 1942; Cleaver 1949). 

Water temperatures and changes 

in water temperatures have considerab 1 e influence on the rate of 

egg development and mortality after 

fertilization and spawning. When 

temperatures rise, the rate of egg 

deve 1 opment a 1 so rises, but so does 
the rate of mort a 1 i ty. In 1 aboratory 

tests (Wild 1983) eggs held at 9.4 °C 

hatched in 123 days and at 16.7 °C 

they hatched in 64 days. At 10 °C, 

685,000 1 arvae were produced per egg 

mass, whereas at 16.7 °C, 14,000 larvae were produced per egg mass. In 

Similk Bay, Washington, egg mortality 

at 15 °C was serious; a major increase 

in mortalities was triggered by a 

water temperature increase from 10 °C 

to 12 °C (Mayer 1973). 

Epibiotic fouling of Dungeness 

crab eggs has been linked to increased 

egg mort a 1 i ty because of mechani ca 1 

interference with hatching and oxygen 

consumption (Fisher 1976; Fisher and 

Wickham 1976, 1977). Waters with high 

and r1s1ng nutrient levels caused 

increased fouling. Egg predation by a 

nemertean worm, Carcinonemertes errans, is thought to enhance the foUling of eggs through the liberation of 

yolk during feeding and by its own 

defecation (Wickham 1979a, 1979b). In 

coastal waters near San Francisco, the 

estimated average annual mortality 

caused by predation of the worm on 

Dungeness crab was over 55% in 1974-79 

when worm densities were about 14 per 

1,000 eggs (Wickham 1979b). 

Eggs mature in about 2 to 3 

months (Cleaver 1949; Orcutt 1978; 

Wild 1983). The hatching season 

commonly shortens from north to south 

a 1 ong the Pacific coast. Eggs hatch 

in coastal waters from December to 

June in British Columbia (but considerably later in Queen Charlotte 

Islands) (MacKay 1942; Butler 1956), 

January to April in Washington 

(Cleaver 1949; Armstrong et al. 1981), 

December to April in Oregon (Reed 

1969; Lough 1976), January to early 

March in northern California (Wild 

1983), and late December to early 

February in central California (Wild 

1983). 

Larvae 

Larvae emerge as prezoeae and 

molt to zoeae within about 1 h 

5 

(Buchanan and Milleman 1969). The 

duration of the prezoea 1 period and 

the transformation to zoeae vary with 

salinity (Buchanan and Milleman 1969). 

The larvae progress through five 

zoeal stages before molting into 

megalopae (Figure 4; Poole 1966; Reed 

1969; Lough 1976). Zoeae first appear 

within a distance of 5-16 km from 

shore (Lough 1976; Orcutt 1977; Reilly 

1983a). Offshore movement and 

distribution of larvae probably is 

regulated by a variety of factors 

including depth, latitude, temperature, sa 1 i ni ty and ocean currents 

(Reilly 1983a, 1985). Using multiple 

regression, the most important 

independent variable that distribution 

offshore is correlated with is depth 

(Reilly 1983a, 1985). Distribution is 

dependent upon the 1 arva 1 stage and 

the larvae show a diel pattern of 

vertical distribution; they are near 

the surface at night (Reilly 1983a, 

1985). There is considerable offshore 

movement of larvae that occurs during 

the zoeal stages; the larvae appear to 

be transported seaward from the onset 

of hatching (Reilly 1983a). 

The megalops (advanced) stage of 

the Dungenes s crab is found from May 

to September off the coast of British 

Columbia. In Washington waters, the 

megalops first appear in April; abundance peaks in May through June. In 

Oregon waters, they are most abundant 

in April and May (MacKay 1942; Cleaver 

1949; Butler 1956; Lough 1976; Stevens 

1982). This trend of abundance indicates larval development begins later 

proceeding from south to north. Off 

Oregon, megalops are carried within 1 

km of shore by tidal currents and by 

self-propulsion (Lough 1976). 

Megalopae often are abundant on the 

hydrozoan Velella velella, when they 

are scarce or absent elsewhere in the 

water co 1 umn (Wickham 1979c; Stevens 

and Armstrong 1985). Wickham (1979c) 

suggested that V. velella aids in the 

movement and distribution of megalops, 

and possibly provides a food source 

and protection from predation. 
Egg from 

female 

Fertilized egg 

~ 

Early post·~ 

larval crab 

Figure 4. Life cycle stages of the Dungeness crab: zoea, megolops, postlarva 

(juvenile), and adult. 

Larvae eat both zoop 1 ankton and 

phytoplankton, but zooplankton is most 

important (Lough 1976). The larvae 

capture food i terns with the nata tory 

hairs of their maxillipeds, and size 

of food is a selection factor (Lough 

1976; Armstrong et al. 1981). 

Information on larval predators 

and predation rates is scarce. Zoeae 

are thought to be consumed by numerous 

types of planktivores (Stevens 1982); 

megalopae are preyed upon by many 

fishes, including coho salmon 

(Oncorhynchus kisutch) and chinook 

6 

salmon (Q. tshawytscha), according to 

Orcutt et al. (1976) and Reilly 

(1983b). Heavy predation by salmon 

may have caused the decline of the 

Dungeness crab catch in the San 

Francisco Bay area (Reilly 1983b). 

There appears to be a direct 

relationship between coho salmon 

hatchery production in Oregon and the 

magnitude of predation on the 

megalopae in California waters (Reilly 

(1983b). In a study of food habits, 

the combined stomachs of eight coho 

salmon contained 1,061 megalops 

(Orcutt 1977); in a separate study 
(MacKay 1942) up to 1,500 megalopae 

were reportedly removed from a single 

fish. Prince and Gotshall (1976) 

found Dungeness crab megalops and 

instars, the stages between postlarval 

mo 1 ts, to be the most important food 

items of copper rockfish (Sebastes 

cauri nus) in northern Ca 1 iforni a 1 s 

Humboldt Bay. 

The abundance of a year class 

depends primarily on larval survival 

to metamorphosis (Peterson 1973; 

Wickham et a l. 1976; McKe 1 vey et a l. 

1980). Natural larval mortality is 

probably high because of a combination 

of predation, excessively high or low 

water temperatures and fluctuations, 

a scarcity or low quality of food, and 

currents affecting distribution (Lough 

1976; Armstrong 1983). 

Juveniles 

Most megalopae molt into 

juveniles in August off the coast of 

British Columbia (Figure 4; MacKay 

1942; But 1 er 1956), and in Apri 1-May 

off the coasts of both Oregon (Lough 

1976) and Washington (Stevens 1982). 

After molting, the juveniles are 

found in shallow coastal waters and 

estuaries, and large numbers live 

among eelgrass (Zostera sp.) or other 

aquatic vegetation that provides 

protection and substrate, and harbors 

food organisms for early i nstars 

(Butler 1956; Orcutt et al. 1975; 

Stevens and Armstrong 1984, 1985). 

Recently, shells of bivalves such as 

Mya arenaria and Crassostrea ~ 

have been documented as very important 

habitat for young Dungeness crabs 

(Armstrong and Gunderson 1985). In 

central California there is evidence 

that movement of postlarval Dungeness 

crabs into the estuaries takes p 1 ace 

in May and June via bottom currents, 

where they stay for 11-15 months 

(Tasto 1983). Juveniles are common in 

estuaries, while subadults and adults 

are common offshore. The importance 

of estuaries to juvenile Dungeness 

crabs has been discussed in detail by 

Armstrong and Gunderson (1985) and 

7 

Stevens and Armstrong (1985). 

Dungeness crab tag recovery data in 

Ca 1 iforni a show a regular pattern of 

movement of juvenile crabs out of 

estuaries and a random movement of 

adult crabs in the ocean (Collier 

1983). Stevens and Armstrong (1985) 

noted that a 1 though mating may occur 

in the estuary, spawning takes place 

offshore, which would be a major 

reason for adults 1 moving out of the 

estuary. 

Juveniles molt 11 or 12 times 

prior to sexual maturity (Butler 1960, 

196lb). Carapace width at the first 

instar varies from about 5 mm to 

greater than 8.5 mm (Cleaver 1949; 

Waldrom 1958; Butler 1960, 196lb; 

Poo 1 e 1967). After 1 year of growth 

beyond hatching, most crabs in Bodega 

Bay, California, are in their 8th, 

9th, or lOth instar (Poole 1967). By 

comparison, crabs from Grays Harbor, 

Washington, only attain the sixth or 

seventh i nstar by the end of their 

first year of 1 i fe (Stevens and 

Armstrong 1984). Carapace width (CW) 

after the first year averages 44 mm in 

Grays Harbor, while the range is 63-94 

mm in Bodega Bay (Poole 1967; Stevens 

et al. 1982). The crabs mature after 

about 2 years (Butler 196lb) at 

carapace widths of about 116 mm for 

males and 100 mm for females (Butler 

1960). 

The diet of juvenile crabs 

consists largely of fish, mollusks, 

and crustaceans (Butler 1954; Gotshall 

1977; Stevens 1982). In Grays Harbor, 

Washington, first-year juveniles ~60 mm CW feed primarily on small 

mollusks and crustaceans. Secondyear crabs, 61-100 mm CW, feed on 

fish and prefer shrimp (Crangon spp.; 

Stevens et al. 1982). Fish also are 

important to northern California crabs 

< 100 mm CW according to Gotshall 

(1977), but Butler (1954) reported 

that crustaceans were the primary food 

among crabs of this size in the Queen 

Charlotte Islands, British Columbia. 

Cannibalism among Dungeness crabs has 

been noted by various authors (MacKay 
1942; Butler 1954; Tegelberg 1972; 

Gotshall 1977; Stevens 1982; Stevens 

et al. 1982). Cannibalism was most 

prevalent among crabs < 60 mm CW which 

fed on smaller crabs of the same year 

class, probably during molting 

(Stevens 1982; Stevens et a l. 1982). 

Cannibalism is cited as a possible 

cause of the dramatic popu 1 at ion 

cycles characteristic of the Dungeness 

crab fishery (Botsford and Wickham 

1978). 

Juveni 1 es are captured by a 

variety of demersal fishes in the 

nearshore area with various flatfishes 

(starry flounder, Platichthys 

stellatus; English so 1 e, Parophrys 

vetul us; and rock so 1 e, Lepi dopsetta 

bilineata) being the most important 

(Reilly 1983b). Other predators on 

juveni 1 e crabs are 1 i ngcod (Ophi odon 

elongatus), cabezon (SGorpaenichthys 

marmoratus), wolf-eels (Anarrhichthys 

ocellatus), rockfish (Sebastes spp.), 

and octopus (Octopus dofleini) 

according to Waldrom (1958) and Orcutt 

(1977). Predation on Dungeness crabs 

may be seasonal in nature, as observed 

in white sturgeons, Acipenser 

transmontanus (McKechnie and Fenner 

1971). Predation on Dungeness crabs 

may have a devastating impact as in 

the case of sea otters (Enhydra 

lutris) in Orca Inlet, Alaska (Kimker 

1985b). 

Adults 

At about 4 years old, most adult 

Dungeness males in the coastal waters 

of Washington are of marketable size 

(> 159 mm) (Cleaver 1949; Williams 

1979). Marketable crabs usually only 

molt once a year (MacKay 1942). The 

maximum lifespan of Dungeness crabs is 

8 to 10 years. The maximum size 

attained is about 218 mm CW in rna 1 es 

and 160 mm CW in females at the 16th 

instar (MacKay 1942; Butler 196lb). 

Adult Dungeness crabs are found 

primarily in the ocean but are 

also abundant in the inland waters 

of Washington and British Columbia. 

8 

Along the coast of northern 

California, legal-sized and large 

sublegal-sized male crabs probably 

move offshore (often to the south or 

north) in late summer, sometimes 

through early winter; sometime in 

winter the direction of movement is 

probably reversed and the crabs return 

inshore. In.terannual variation in the 

predominant direction of movement is 

considerable (Gotshall 1978). 

Recently, Collier (1983) has shown a 

random movement of adult crabs in the 

ocean. Many adult female crabs tagged 

off the coast of northern California 

moved relatively little (about 2 km) 

after 1 year (Diamond and Hankin 

1985). Along the coast of southern 

Washington, legal-sized males 

generally moved inshore and toward the 

estuaries in fall (Barry 1985). 

Clams are the most important food 

of adult Dungeness crabs > 151 mm CW 

in northern California (Gotshall 1977) 

and > 166 mm CW in British Columbia 

(Butler 1954). Crustaceans and fish 

are valuable foods of the adult 

Dungeness crabs from both Simi 1 k Bay 

and Grays Harbor, Washington (Mayer 

1973; Stevens et al. 1982). Dungeness 

crab populations are apparently not 

1 imited by the abundance or scarcity 

of particular foods; they are somewhat 

nonspecific feeders which readily 

adjust to various foods (Gotshall 

1977). They have developed an 

evolutionary niche for feeding on 

mud-sand substrate (Lawton and El ner 

1985). 

Crabs of different ages or sizes 

tend to eat different sizes or kinds 

of food (Stevens 1982; Stevens et al. 

1982). According to Stevens et al. 

(1982), crabs progress from eating 

bivalves their first year, to eating 

shrimp (Crangon spp.) their second 

year, and finally to eating juvenile 

teleost fish in the third year; these 

shifts may be caused purely by changes 

in mechanisms of food handling, or 

they may have evo 1 ved to reduce 

competition among age groups of 

crabs. Crabs display a definite diel 
activity; they are more abundant by 

day in the subtidal area and more 

abundant at night in the i ntert ida 1 

area; the response is positively 

correlated with food availability 

(Stevens et al. 1984). Cannibalism is 

common among adults, but no 

correlations have been made between 

the rate of cannibalism and abundance 

(Stevens 1982; Stevens et a 1 . 1982). 

GROWTH CHARACTERISTICS 

In Dungeness crabs, 1 ike other 

crustaceans, growth proceeds in steps 

through a series of molts. The general 

process of crustacean growth has been 

described by Barnes (1974) and Warner 

(1977). The number of molts that a 

crab undergoes before becoming mature 

depends upon the increment at each 

molt and the frequency of molting, 

both of which vary among crabs at 

different 1 ocat ions. Dungeness crabs 

grow in carapace size at molt and gain 

weight between molts. In older crabs 

the growth, as measured by the percent 

change in carapace width, declines as 

the frequency of molting s 1 ows down, 

but the rate of weight gain of the 

crabs increases over time. The 

probability of annual molting in 

female Dungeness crabs declines from 

about 1.0 for crabs of 130-135 mm CW 

to 0. 0 for crabs of 155 mm CW and 

larger (Hankin et al. 1985). 

Among possible attributes of 

estuarine residence suggested by 

Stevens and Armstrong (1984) is an 

enhanced growth rate compared to that 

of siblings of a year class that 

settle offshore. Size attained by 

juvenile crabs within certain periods 

after metamorphosis seems to be 

somewhat dependent on latitude and on 

time of settlement. Extreme estimates 

of age at sexua 1 maturity range from 

as long as 4-5 years in British 

Columbia (MacKay and Weymouth 1935) to 

1 year in San Francisco Bay, where the 

crabs reach a carapace width of 100 

mm which is usually associated with 

sexual maturity (Tasto 1983). More 

9 

generally, crabs are predicted to 

reach maturity at the end of their 

second year after metamorphosis or in 

their third growing season over much 

of the coast (Butler 1961b; Cleaver 

1949). While age and size at sexual 

maturity may not differ substantially 

along the coasts, estimates of growth 

rates of newly settled 0+ crabs do. 

Several studies of juvenile 

growth rates indicate the process is 

accelerated in estuaries or within 

nearshore coastal embayments where 

water temperatures are relatively 

high. Stevens and Armstrong (1984) 

studied growth of 0+ and 1+ juveniles 

in Grays Harbor and found that 6 

months after metamorphosis (May to 

October) 0+ crab averaged 40 mm in 

carapace width and by 1 year were 50 

mm. Crabs aged 0+ in Washington 

coastal estuaries may molt six to 

eight times in the first summer 

growing season after which the 

frequency apparently declines with the 

onset of winter and larger size. A 

dramatic indication of seasonal growth 

was demonstrated where growth was 

based on change in dry weight over 

time; rapid growth of the 0+ crabs in 

Grays Harbor resulted in a 280-fold 

increase in 14 months, and the growth 

rate of all age classes declined 

beginning in late summer of 1980. 

Rapid growth in early summer and 

midsummer of 1980 was not repeated in 

summer of 1981 (Figure 5). 

Populations of 0+ crabs that 

settle directly offshore, as well as 

1+ nearshore crabs, grow significantly 

slower than those in the estuary 

(Armstrong and Gunderson 1985). 

Young-of-the-year crabs in Grays 

Harbor grew from a first instar size 

of 7 mm in May to a mean carapace 

width of 38.3 mm (sixth instar) by 

October; 0+ crabs offshore had only 

reached a mean width of 18. 9 mm in 

November when they were a mixture of 

third and fourth instars. Mean bottom 

water temperatures in the estuary 

were 15-16 °C during this time, 

while those offshore were 8.5-10 °C, 
100 

50 

10 

0) 5 

-

~ 

C) 

·-Q) 

~1.0 

.1 

.02 

•• 

., K•.06~~······· 

~0 1978 

M J J A 8 0 N 0 J f M A M J J 

1980 1981 

Figure 5. Changes in dry weight over 

time of three year classes (1978, 

1979, and 1980) of Dungeness crabs in 

Grays Harbor, Washington. Growth 

rates (= k) are expressed as g/g dry 

weight per unit time. Note the rapid 

growth of 0+ in the summer of 1980 and 

the decline in growth of all year 

classes in the fall of 1980 (Stevens 

and Armstrong 1985). 

which may account for the growth 

difference (Figure 6). Young-of-theyear juveniles offshore of San 

Francisco Bay in the Gulf of the 

Farallones also grow substantially 

slower than estuarine crabs (Tasto 

1983): the data show 0+ crabs at 

about 28-30mm, while in the estuary a 

good proportion of this age group were 

up to 60 mm in width. 

Dungeness crab growth is quite 

variable along the Pacific coast. 

50 

45 15.4" 

40 

;:: 

= 35 

J:: 

>--

D 30 

:< 

w 25 

10 

u 

CI 

"-CI 20 "' OS CI 

u 

z 

CI 15 

w 

I: 

10 

5 

0 5 6 B 9 10 II 

tiONTH 

Figure 6. Growth, based on mean 

carapace width, of 0+ crabs from 

settlement as 7-mm first instars in 

May through November. Bar = ± 1 SO. 

Grays Harbor population shown as 

circles (GH). Offshore population 

shown as triangles (OS). Mean bottom 

water temperatures at the time of 

sampling are also shown for some 

samples (Armstrong and Gunderson 

1985). 

However, in genera 1 , it is somewhat 

s 1 ower in the northern part of the 

range (Washington and British Columbia) when compared to the southern 

part of the range (California). 

THE FISHERY 

Commercial Fishery 

Commercial landings of Dungeness 

crab on the Pacific coast have 

fluctuated widely, almost cyclically, 

over the past 30 years (Figure 7) and 

have been reviewed by Armstrong 

(1983). According to Peterson (1973), 

commercial landings were highest 1.5 

years after a period of strong 

upwelling in California and Oregon, 

and 6 months following a strong 

upwelling in Washington, although the 

biological sense of this conclusion is 

much in doubt. Botsford and Wickham 
15 ALASKA 

5 

1955 57 59 61 63 65 67 69 71 73 75 77 79 81 83 

15 BRITISH COLUMBIA 

en 

Q 5 

z 

:J 1955 57 59 61 63 65 67 69 71 73 75 77 79 81 83 0 

c.. 

u.. WASHINGTON 

0 15 

en 

z 5 

0 

.J - 61 69 73 77 

.J 

-

~ 15 

5 

1955 57 59 61 63 65 69 71 73 77 79 

25 CALIFORNIA 

15 

5 

1955 57 59 61 63 65 67 69 71 73 75 77 79 81 83 

Figure 7. Dungeness crab landings by season for individual Pacific 

Coast States and the Province of British Columbia, 1955-83 (Pacific 

Marine Fisheries Commission 1983). 

11 
(1975) challenged this conclusion by 

using auto correlation to show that 

commercial landings are cyclic but 

upwelling is not. 

Another theory to exp 1 a in catch 

fluctuations suggests that periods of 

high levels of cannibalism and/or 

interspecific competition may cause a 

decline in the fishery 3 or 4 years 

later (Botsford and Wickham 1978). In 

a model predicting recruitment, 

McKelvey et al.(1980) discounted 

cannibalism as a factor and contended 

that changes in egg and larval 

survival have regulated population 

success. Larval survival may be 

seriously altered by a combination of 

en vi ronmenta 1 factors that can cause 

increased mortality if unfavorable for 

even short periods of time (Lough 

1976). Stevens and Armstrong (1981) 

indicate that diseases caused by 

various organisms (bacteria, Protozoa, 

or fungi) may be responsible for mass 

mortalities of adult crabs. 

Predation may have a profound 

impact on the Dungeness crab 

commercial fishery in certain 

geographic areas (Kimker 1985b). 

Reilly (1983b) theorizes that hatchery 

released coho salmon from the Columbia 

River continue to suppress the 

Dungeness crab fishery through 

extensive predation. 

Landings of Dungeness crab from 

1954 to 1983 are broken down by State 

and Province in Figure 7. In general, 

the landings in Washington (except for 

Puget Sound), Oregon, and California 

follow similar trends. Landings from 

Puget Sound and British Columbia are 

lower but show less annual variation. 

Alaska landings bear little relation 

to other areas of the Pacific 

Northwest. The Alaska catch of 15.6 

mi 11 ion pounds in 1981 was a record 

for Alaska, but Washington coastal 

crab landings of 2.6 million pounds in 

the same year were the lowest in 30 

years (Demory 1982). Recent reviews 

of the commercial Dungeness crab 

fishery have been published for Alaska 

12 

(Eaton 1985; Kimker 1985b; Koeneman 

1985; Merritt 1985), British Columbia 

(Jamieson 1985), Washington (Barry 

1985), Oregon (Demory 1985), and 

California (Dahlstrom and Wild 1983; 

Warner 1985). 

Sport Fishery 

Sport catch data are scarce and 

according to Barry (1985) the 

Washington sport fishery on Dungeness 

crabs amounts to less than one 

percent of the annua 1 commercia 1 

harvest. Most of the available sport 

catch data are from a survey reported 

by Williams (1979). He revealed 

that from April through August 1974, 

471 crabs were taken intertidally 

at Mission Beach, Washington, by 735 

sport crabbers. Apri 1 , May, and 

June produced the best sport catches 

with the highest average catches 

occurring on low tides that ranged 

from -0.60 to -0.74 m. Aerial 

surveys made over Puget Sound beaches 

using Williams• (1979) survey data 

estimated that the beaches of 

Washington State probably supported 

about 20,000 crabbers during those 

months in 1974. In 1975, the sport 

crab pot fishery a 1 one (other sport 

catch methods are ring nets, dip 

nets, and hook and line) accounted 

for the harvest of about 300,000 

Dungeness crabs (Tegelberg 1976). 

Only male crabs may be taken in the 

sport fishery (Figure 3). In 

Washington there is a minimum size 

of 6 or 6. 25 inches carapace width 

(depending on the area), measured 

directly in front of the lOth 

anteriolateral spines. In Oregon 

the m1n1mum size is 6.25 inches, 

measured similarly. The sport catch 

is primarily found in Hood Canal, 

Puget Sound, and the major Pacific 

coast estuaries. 

The State of Oregon has sought to 

limit the conflict between sport and 

commercial crabbers by restricting 

commercial crabbing to the middle of 

the week and to the use of sport gear 

(Demory 1985). ~·, 
ECOLOGICAL ROLE 

Dungeness crabs consume a wide 

variety of food organisms and are prey 

to numerous predators. Crabs 

contribute to several trophic levels 

as they progress through successive 

1 ife stages. The 1 arvae 1 arge ly 

consume plankton (Lough 1976) and are 

preyed upon by numerous fishes. 

Adults and juveniles are preyed upon 

by sea otters, fishes, and octopuses 

(Butler 1954; Waldrom 1958; Stevens 

1982; Reilly 1983b; Kimker 1985b). 

Cannibalism is common and probably 

exercises some control over abundance. 

In their various life stages, 

Dungeness crabs feed on a variety of 

mo 11 usks, crustaceans, and fish 

species (Stevens et al. 1?82). Other 

information on the ecolog1cal role of 

each 1 ife stage is given in the 1 ife 

hi story section. 

ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMENTS 

Temperature 

The temperature preferences of 

adult crabs are different among 

seasons (Mayer 1973). They are 

somewhat tolerant of abrupt 

temperature and salinity fluctuations 

(Cleaver 1949), and water temperatures 

from 3 to 19 °C were listed as normal 

for the Dungeness crab (Cleaver 19,49). 

Dungeness crabs have different 

optimal water temperatures at 

different stages. In the 1 aboratory, 

Des Voigne (1973) reported that 

optimal water temperatures for mating 

ranged from 12 to 16 °C during 1 ong 

photoperiods. Wild (1973) noted an 

apparent trend towards crabs. mati~g 

later in colder water 1n h1s 

laboratory experiments, but noted that 

mating took place between 10 and 

17 °C. In Washington coastal waters, 

where Dungeness crabs usually mate in 

early spring, the bottom temperatures 

are between 8 and 10 °C (Armstrong, 

pers. comm.). Accardi ng to Wild 

(1983), the egg brooding periods 

13 

varied inversely with seawater 

temperatures of 9 to 17 °C (Figure 8). 

Prolonged egg brooding periods in 

colder water are consistent with 

pro 1 onged occurrences of ovigerous 

crabs and cooler ocean temperatures as 

you move progressively northward along 

the Pacific coast (Wild 1983). 

Hatching success, considered as the 

number of 1 arvae that hatch from an 

egg mass decreased as the temperature 

increased from 10 to 17 °C (Wild 

1983). Mayer (1973) found a similar 

correlation between egg mortality and 

temperature with 20% morta 1 i ty at 

10 °C and 100% mortality at 20 °C. 

130 

., 120 . . iii . ~ . 8 110 " .. 8 .. a: 

w 100 Q. 

" z 

5 90 

8 .. a: 

CD .. 80 

" " w . 70 - 60 ... 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 

TEMP °C 

Figure 8. Dungeness crab egg brooding 

periods at various laboratory seawater 

temperatures (Wild 1983). 

Optimal temperatures for larvae 

are 10 to 14 °C. Juvenile crabs, 

80 mm wide and acclimated to 10.0 °C, 

have been exposed to water temperatures up to 25.0 °C for 7 days with 

little or no mortality (Des Voigne 

1973); however, an increase of 2.5 °C 

above 25 °C was fata 1 to 100% of a 11 

crabs tested. In the 1 aboratory, 

adult crabs had a maximum tolerable 

temperature of 25 °C during 1 ong 

photoperiods, which decreased to 2~ °C 

when exposed to short photoper1 ods 
(Des Voigne 1973). With adult crabs 

held for 8 months, Wild (1983) 

observed that mortality increased with 

temperature from 17% at 10 °C to 58% 

at 13 °C and to 80% at 17 °C, although 

laboratory stress probably exacerbated 

the effect of high temperatures. 

Salinity 

Tolerance to salinity varies 

among the life stages of the Dungeness 

crab. In general, salinity is not as 

important as temperature to egg 

development and hatching, but the 

larvae are highly sensitive to changes 

in salinity (Buchanan and Milleman 

1969). The percentage of eggs 

hatching was optimum at 15 ppt, but 

hatching occurred to some degree over 

a wide range of salinities between 10 

ppt and 32 ppt (Buchanan and Milleman 

1969). When salinity was increased 

from 15 ppt to 32 ppt, the average 

prezoeal period was reduced from about 

60 min to less than 11 min. At a 

salinity of 10 ppt, no prezoeae molted 

to zoeaea, but 100% mo 1 ted at 30 ppt 

(Buchanan and Milleman 1969). The 

highest survival for larvae was 

between salinities from 25 ppt and 30 

ppt (Reed 1969). Survival decreased 

with salinity and was poorest at 

salinities of 15 ppt (Reed 1969). No 

juvenile or adult tolerance levels are 

available in the literature at this 

time. 

Temperature-Salinity Interactions 

Salinity and temperature 

related to larval survival. 

cant interaction exists 

these two factors with 

buffering temperature. At 

are both 

Signifibetween 

salinity 

favorable 

14 

temperatures, unfavorable salinities 

resulted in complete mortality, but 

favorable salinities at unfavorable 

temperatures allowed some survival 

(Reed 1969). The most obvious effect 

on growth rate occurred at temperatures that resulted in the best 

survival. Salinities that favored 

survival generally had little effect 

on zoeal growth. Survival of zoeae is 

optimal between the water temperatures 

of 10.0 and 13.0 °C and salinities of 

25 and 30 ppt (Reed 1969). The 

significant interaction between temperature and salinity dictates caution 

when making statements about either 

variable independent of the other one. 

The effects of temperature or salinity 

a 1 one on f. magister zoeae do not 

appear to cause large fluctuations in 

zoeal survival in the ocean (Reed 

1969; Lough 1976). 

Substrate 

Adult crabs are found living over 

several substrate types (Schmitt 1921; 

Cleaver 1949; Butler 1956), but they 

prefer sandy-mud bottoms (Karpov 

1982). Early juveniles prefer beds of 

eelgrass, shell, or sandy mud (Stevens 

and Armstrong 1984). This preference 

may stem from an abundance of food 

organisms on such substrates or 

perhaps the crabs find she 1 ter from 

predation there (Stevens 1982). Older 

crabs seem 1 ess dependent on 

epibenthic cover and can be found over 

more exposed substrates. Most crabs 

remain in the subtidal environment, 

but may venture into littoral areas at 

high tide (Stevens et al. 1984). This 

behavior is enhanced by the presence 

of preferred food items and decreased 

during low salinities following heavy 

rains. 
• 

• 

• 

LITERATURE CITED 

Ar~~strong. D.A. 1983. Cyclic crab 

abundance and relationship to 

environaental causes. Pages 102-110 

in W. Wooster, ed. Fr011 year to 

year: interannual variability of 

the environ.ent and fisheries of the 

Gulf of Alaska. Unhersity of 

Washington Sea Grant Rep. WST-WO 

83-3, Seattle. 

Ar11strong, D.A .• and D.R. Gunderson. 

1985. The role of estuaries in 

Dungeness crab early life history: a 

case study in Grays Harbor, Washington. Pages 145-170 in Proceedings of 

the symposium on--Dungeness crab 

biology and management. University of Alaska Sea Grant Rep. 85-3, 

Fairbanks. 

Ar~~strong, D.A.. B.G. Stevens, and 

J.C. Hoeman. 1981. Distribution 

and abundance of Dungeness crab and 

Crangon shrimp, and dredging-related 110rtality of invertebrates and fish 

in Grays Harbor, Washington. U.S. A~ Corps of Engineers, Seattle. 

Tech. Rep. Contract No. DACW67-80-C0086. 

Armstrong, D.A., B.G. Stevens, and 

J.C. Hoe.an. 1982. Distribution 

and abundance of Dungeness crab and 

Crangon shrimp, and dredging-related 

110rta li ty of invertebrates and fish 

in Grays Harbor. Washington. U.S. 

Af'IIY Corps of Engineers, Seattle. 

Tech. Rep. Contract No. N-NACW67-80-

C0086. 349 pp. 

Barnes, R.D. 1974. Invertebrate 

zoology. W.B. Saunders Co .• 

Philadelphia, Pa. 870 pp. 

Barry, S. 1985. Overview of the 

Washington coastal Dungeness crab 

15 

fishery. Pages 33-36 in Proceedings of the symposium on Dungeness crab 

biology and unage~~~ent. University of Alaska Sea Grant Rep. 85-3, 

Fairbanks. 

Botsford, L.W.. and D. E. Wickham. 

1975. Correlation of upwelling index and Dungeness crab catch. 

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Botsford, L.W.. and D. E. Wickham. 

1978. Behavior of age-specific, density-dependent models and the 

northern California Dungeness crab 

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Buchanan, D.W., and R.E. Milleman. 

1969. The prezoeal stage of the 

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Dana. Biol. Bull. (Woods Hole) 

137(2): 250-255. 

Butler, T.H. 1954. Food of the 

commercial crab in the Queen 

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Butler, T.H. 1956. The distribution 

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Butler, T.H. 1960. Maturity and 

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16 

Des Voigne, D.M. 1973. The influence 

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• 
• 

• 

• 

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17 

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pp. 

Orcutt, H.G., R.N. Tasto, P.W. Wild, 

C.W. Haugen, and P.C. Collier. 

1975. Dungeness crab research 

program. Calif. Dep. Fish Game Mar. 

Res. Rep. No. 75-12. 77 pp. 

Orcutt, H.G., R.N. Tasto, P.W. Wild, 

C.W. Haugen, and E.E. Ebert. 1976. 

Dungeness crab research program. Calif. Dep. Fish Game Mar. Res. Rep. No. 76-15. 42 pp. 

Pacific Marine Fisheries Commission. 

1983. Dungeness crab fishery, 

18 

1981-82. Pages 31-32 in R.G. 

Porter, ed. Thirty-fifth annual 

report of the P.M.F.C. for the year 

1982. Pacific Marine Fisheries 

Commission, Portland, Oreg. 

Peterson, W.T. 1973. Upwelling 

indices and annual catches of 

Dungeness crab, Cancer magister, along the west coast of the United 

States. U.S. Natl. Mar. Fish. Serv. 

Fish. Bull. 22{3):902-910. 

Poole, R. L. 1966. A description of 

the laboratory-reared zoeae of 

Cancer magister Dana, and megalopae taken under natural conditions 

(Decapoda, Brachura). Crustaceana 

11{1):83-97. 

Poole, R. L. 1967. Preliminary results of the age and growth study 

of the market crab, Cancer magister, in California: the age and growth of 

Cancer magi ste~ in Bodega Bay. Proceedings of the symposium on 

crustacea. Mar. Biol. Assoc. India, 

Ernakulam, Part II:553-567. 

Poole, R.L., and D.W. Gotshall. 1965. 

Regulations and the market crab 

fishery. Outdoor Calif. 269:7-8. 

Prince, E. D., and D.W. Gotshall. 1976. 

Food of the copper rockfish, 

Sebastes caurinus Richardson, 

assoc1 a ted w1 th an art i fi cia 1 reef 

in south Humboldt Bay, California. 

Calif. Fish Game 64(4):274-285. 

Reed, P.N. 1969. Culture methods and 

effects of temperature and salinity 

on survival and growth of Dungeness crab (Cancer magister) larvae in the 

laboratory. J. Fish. Res. Board 

Can. 26(2):389-397. 

Reilly, P.N. 1983a. Dynamics of 

the Dungeness crab, Cancer 

magister, larvae off central and 

northern California. Pages 57-84 

in P.W. Wild and R.N. Tasto, eds. 

ITfe history, environment, and 
• 

I 

mariculture studies of the Dungeness crab, Cancer magister, with emphasis 

on the central California fishery 

resource. Calif. Dep. Fish Game 

Fish Bull. 172. 

Reilly, P.N. 1983b. Predation on 

Dungeness crabs, Cancer magister, in 

central Californ1a. Pages 155-164 

in P.W. Wild and R.N. Tasto, eds. 

Life history, environment, and 

mariculture studies of the Dungeness crab, Cancer magister, with emphasis 

on the central California fishery 

resource. Calif. Dep. Fish Game Fish 

Bull. 172. 

Reilly, P.N. 1985. Dynamics of 

Dungeness crab, Cancer magister, larvae off central and northern 

California. Pages 245-272 in 

Proceedings of the symposium on 

Dungeness crab biology and 

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Sea Grant Rep. 85-3, Fairbanks. 

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Contract No. 79-111. 131 pp. 

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Univ. Cal if. Publ. Zool. No. 23. 

470 pp. 

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Premating and mating behavior of the 

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Dana). J. Fish. Res. Board Can. 

23(9):1319-1323. 

Stevens, B.G. 1982. Distribution, 

abundance, and food habits of the 

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Dissertation. University of 

Washington, Seattle. 213 pp. 

Stevens, B. G., and D.A. Armstrong. 

1981. Mass mortality of female 

Dungeness crab, Cancer magister, on 

19 

the southern Washington coast. U.S. 

Natl. Mar. Fish. Serv. Fish. Bull. 

79(2):349-352. 

Stevens, B.G., and D.A. Armstrong. 

1984. Distribution, abundance and 

growth of juvenile Dungeness crabs, 

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Estuary, Washington. U.S. Natl. 

Mar. Fish. Serv. Fish. Bull. 

82(3):469-483. 

Stevens, B.G., and D.A. Ar.strong. 1985. Ecology, growth, and 

population dynuics of juvenile 

Dungeness crab, Cancer ugister 

Dana, in Grays Harbor, Washington, 

1980-81. Pages 119-134 in 

Proceedings of the syaposium on 

Dungeness crab biology and Mnagement. University of Alaska Sea 

Grant Rep. 85-3, Fairbanks. 

Stevens, B.G., D.A. Armstrong, and R. 

Cusimano. 1982. Feeding habits of 

the Dungeness crab Cancer magister 

as determined by the index of relative importance. Mar. Biol. (Berl.) 

72(1):135-145. 

Stevens, B.G., D.A. Armstrong, and 

J.C. Hoeman. 1984. Diel activity of an estuarine population of 

Dungeness crabs, Cancer magister, in 

relation to feeding and 

environmental factors. J. 

Crustacean Biol. 4(3):390-403. 

Tasto, R.N. 1983. Juvenile Dungeness 

crab, Cancer magister, studies in 

the San Francisco Bay area. Pages 135-154 in P.W. Wild and R.N. Tasto, 

eds. Life history, environment, and 

mariculture studies of the Dungeness 

crab, Cancer magister, with emphasis 

on the central California fishery 

resource. Calif. Dep. Fish Game 

Fish Bull. 172. 

Tegelberg, H. 1972. Dungeness crab 

study. Pages 5-16 in Annual 

progress report, Wash. State Dep. Fish. Proj. No. 1-76-R. 
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Washington. Wash. State Oep. Fish. 

Rep. 11 pp. 

Waldro., K.O. 1958. The fishe~ and 

biology of the Dungeness crab 

(Cancer .agister Dana) 1n Oregon 

waters. Oreg. Fish. Co.. Contrib. 

No. 24: 1-43. 

Warner, G.F. 1977. The biology of 

crabs. Van Nostrand Reinhold Co., 

New York. 202 pp. 

Warner, R. W. 1985. Overview of the 

California Dungeness crab, Cancer ~~agister, fishery. Pages 11-25 in 

Proceedings of the s~osiu. on 

Dungeness crab biology and 

manage .. nt. University of Alaska 

Sea Grant Rep. 85-3, Fairbanks. 

Wickham, D.E. 1979a. Carcinone .. rtes 

errans and the fouling of eggs of 

the Oungenes; crab, Cancer u~ister. 

J. Fish. Res. Board Can. 36(1 :1319-

1324. 

Wickham, D. E. 1979b. Predation by the ne~ertean Carcinona..rtes errans 

on eggs of the Dungeness crab, 

Cancer .agister. Mar. Biol. (Berl.) 

55(1): 45-53. 

20 

Wickh•, D. E. 1979c. The relationship between .egalopae of the 

Dungeness crab, Cancer .a~1 ster, and 

the hydroid, Velella ve ella, and 

its influence on abundance estiaates 

of C. aa\ister 11egalopae. Calif. 

Fish-G ... 5(3):184-186. 

Wickhaa, D.E .. , R. Shieser, and A. 

Schuur. 1976. Observations on the 

inshore population of Dungeness crabs in Bodega Bay. Calif. Fish 

Ga.. 62(1):89-92. 

Wild, P.W. 1983. The influence of 

seawater ta.perature on spawning, 

egg deve 1 OPIIent, and hatching 

success of the Dungeness crab, 

Cancer aagister. Pages 197-214 in 

P.W. Wild and R.N. Tasto, eds. Life histo~, environ~~ent, and 

aariculture studies of the Dungeness crab, Cancer aaqister, with a.phasis 

on the central California fishe~ 

resource. Calif. Dep. Fish Galle 

Fish Bull. 172. 

Willi•s, J.G. 1979. Estiaation of 

intertidal harvest of Dungeness 

crab, Cancer aagister, on Puget Sound, Washington, beaches. U.S. 

Natl. Mar. Fish. Serv. Fish. Bull. 

77(1): 287-292. 

• 

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50272 •101 

REPORT DOCUMENTATION 11. REPORT NO. 12. 

PAGE Biological Report 82(11.63)*, 

3. Recipient's Accession No. 

II !1. Report Dolo 

August 1986 .C. .. Titte and SubtUte 

Species Profiles: Life Histories and Environmental 

Requirements of Coastal Fishes and Invertebrates (Pacific 

Northwest)--Dungeness crab ~~----~----~----------------------------------·----------~~~--------------~ 7. Authot(s) b 8. Per1orminc Orconlz•lion Rep!. No. 

Gilbert B. Pauleya, David A. Armstrong, and Thomas W. Heuna 

9. Performinc Ora:enization Name and Addr•s• 

awashington Cooperative Fishery bschool of Fisheries 

JO. Project/Task/Work Unit No. 

Research Unit University of Washington ll. Ccntrecc!CC) or Gront{G) No. 

University of Washington Seattle, WA 98195 cc> 

Seattle, WA 98..;:;1.:c.95.::. __________________________ -lcG> 

National Wetlands Research Center 

Fish and Wildlife Service 

13. Typo ol Report & Ponod Cove"'d 

U.S. Department of the Interior 

Washington, DC 20240 

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 

Waterways Experiment Station 

P. 0. Box 631 l-:x:-:-•.-----------------1 

Vicksburg, MS 39180 

1!1. Supplementary Notes 

*U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Report No. TR EL-82-4 

-1&. Abstract (Umit: 200 words) 

Species profiles are literature summaries of the taxonomy, morphology, range, life 

history, and environmental requirements of coastal aquatic species. They are designed to 

assist in environmental impact assessment. The Dungeness crab (Cancer magister) is found 

off the coasts of Washington, Oregon, and southern British Columbia, as well as in the 

estuarine waters of this geographic area. It is a shellfish highly prized and sought 

after by both commercial and sport fishermen. In Washington and Oregon, only male crabs 

may be retained by sport and commercial fishermen. Commercial crab catches are highly variable from year to year, but the catches from Washington and Oregon follow a very 

similar pattern. The highest sport catches take place on low tides ranging from -0.60 to 

-0.74 m. Dungeness crab go through a life cycle that involves several metamorphic stages: 

zoea, megalops, postlarval crab, and adult crab. Hatching success decreases as water 

temperature increases from 10 to 17 °C; the optimal temperature for larval crabs is 

between 10 and 14 °C. Salinity is not as important to egg development and hatching as 

temperature, but optimum hatching occurs at about 15 ppt. 

17. Document Anatysia 

Temperature 

Estuaries 

Shell fish 

Salinity 

a. De.criptors 

b. ldenllliers/~en-Ended Terms 

Dungeness crab 

Cancer magister Dana 

Life hi story 

t:. COSATI Field/Group 

18. Aveilabillty Statement 

Unlimited 

(See ANSI-Z39.18l 

Feeding habits 

Crabs 

Life cycles 

Temperature 

Ecological role 

Environmental requirements 

! 19~ Security Class (This Report) 

i Unclassified -

1

1 20. Security Clan (This Pase) 

. Unclassified 

12%. Price 

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sibility for most of our .nationally owned public lands and natural resources. This includes 

fostering the wisest use of our land and water resources, protecting our fish and wildlife, 

preserving th& environmental and cultural values of our national parks and historical places, 

and providing for the enjoyment of life through outdoor recreation. The Department as· 

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