''Cancer irroratus'' ( common name the ''Atlantic rock crab'' or ''peekytoe crab'') is a crab in the genus ''

Cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Possible signs and symptoms include a lump, abnormal b ...

''. It is found from

Iceland Iceland ( is, Ísland; ) is a Nordic island country in the North Atlantic Ocean and in the Arctic Ocean. Iceland is the most sparsely populated country in Europe. Iceland's capital and largest city is Reykjavík, which (along with its s ...

South Carolina )'' Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...

at depths up to , and reaches across the carapace.

Distribution

This crab species occurs on the eastern coast of North America, from

. Rock crabs live over a large depth range, from well above the low tide line to as deep as .

Description

''Cancer irroratus'' has nine marginal teeth on the front edge of the carapace beside each eye, and reaches a carapace width of . These crabs are similar in color to, and overlap in size with, the

Jonah crab The Jonah crab (''Cancer borealis'') is a marine brachyuran crab that inhabits waters along the east coast of North America from Newfoundland to Florida. Jonah crabs possess a rounded, rough-edged carapace with small light spots, and robust claw ...

, ''Cancer borealis''. The two species can indeed be distinguished by the purplish-brown spots on the carapace of ''C. irroratus'' (contrasting with the yellow spots of ''C. borealis''), and by the smooth edges to the teeth on the edge of the carapace (denticulate in ''C. borealis'').

Fisheries

The rock crab has recently become a popular culinary item. The name "peekytoe crab" refers to the fact that the legs are "picked" (a Maine colloquialism meaning "curved inward"). Until about 1997, they were considered a nuisance species by the lobster industry because they would eat the bait from

lobster trap A lobster trap or lobster pot is a portable trap that traps lobsters or crayfish and is used in lobster fishing. In Scotland (chiefly in the north), the word creel is used to refer to a device used to catch lobsters and other crustaceans. A lo ...

References

External links

*
Canada Fisheries and Oceans Stock Status Report 2000
* {{Authority control Cancroidea Crustaceans of the Atlantic Ocean Edible crustaceans Crustaceans described in 1817