Subphylum Crustacea Order Decapoda | Infraorder Brachyura Rank Species | |
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Similar Glyptolithodes, Ovalipes australiensis, Pie crust crab, Panulirus pascuensis, Metanephrops challengeri | ||
Cancer bellianus, the toothed rock crab, is a common species of crab in the north-eastern Atlantic Ocean.
Contents
Description
It grows up to 130 millimetres (5.1 in) in carapace length, and is pale brown with red spots.
Distribution and ecology
Its geographical range extends from near Höfn on the south coast of Iceland (at nearly 64° N) south to Morocco, including the Azores, Madeira and the Canary Islands. It is found at depths from 50 metres (160 ft) to over 730 m (2,400 ft). While the species is sometimes abundant in the south of its range, it is uncommon further north; all the specimens from Brittany and further north were male, and are thought to be recent travellers from further south, rather than representing a stable northern population.
Fisheries
C. bellianus is caught as bycatch by artisan fishermen targeting Palinurus elephas, and as much as 10 t can be caught annually.