Chionoecetes opilio, also known as
snow crab, is a predominantly
epifaunal crustacean native to
shelf depths in the northwest
Atlantic Ocean and north
Pacific Ocean. It is a well-known commercial species of
Chionoecetes, often caught with traps or by
trawling. Male
C. opilio with a total length above long are the most commonly trapped, especially around Canada and
Newfoundland. This crab genus is found across northern parts of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. There are seven species in the genus
Chionoecetes, all of which bear the name "snow crab."
Chionoecetes opilio is also related to
Chionoecetes tanneri, commonly known as the tanner crab, and other crab species found in the cold, northern oceans.