Velvet Crab: Features, Uses, and Full Information

The velvet crab is a type of crab found in UK coastal waters. It is also known as Velvet swimming crab, devil crab and lady crab.

It is the largest swimming crab with a shell width of up to 10 cm, it is the only species of the genus intangible.

Velvet crabs live from southern Norway to Western Sahara in the North Sea and North Atlantic, as well as in the western Mediterranean.

These crabs were once considered pests, but are now a commercially important export species in the UK and Ireland.

Crab is traditionally eaten by southern European countries such as Spain and France. However, for more information on this type of crabs, read below.

Characteristics of the Velvet Crab

The velvet crab’s body is covered with short hairs, giving them a velvety texture. The species is named after these hairs. The last pair of pereopods are flattened to facilitate swimming.

The average width of the carapace of a velvet crab is about 10 cm. Photos and information from Wikipedia.

Advantages

Velvet crabs are mainly used for food. It is traditionally consumed by southern European countries such as Spain and France.

Special Notes

The velvet crab is one of the main crab species for UK fisheries, despite its relatively small size.

These crabs generally like to live on rocky bottoms from the shore to a depth of about 65 meters.

They are mainly used as food and are very popular in some countries. See the full breed profile of the Velvet Crab in the following table.