Cancer pagurus, commonly known as the
edible crab or
brown crab, is a species of
crab found in the
North Sea, North
Atlantic Ocean and perhaps in the
Mediterranean Sea. It is a robust crab of a reddish-brown colour, having an oval
carapace with a characteristic "pie crust" edge and black tips to the claws. A mature adult may have a carapace width of up to and weigh up to .
C. pagurus is a nocturnal predator, targeting a range of molluscs and crustaceans. It is the subject of the largest
crab fishery in
Western Europe, centred on the coasts of the British Isles, with more than 60,000 tonnes caught annually.