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Snow Crab

Crustaceans

Chionoecetes opilio, a species of snow crab also known as the opilio crab or opies, is a predominantly epifaunal crustacean native to shelf depths of the northwest Atlantic Ocean and the north Pacific Ocean. It is an important commercial species, caught by traps and trawling, and belongs to the genus Chionoecetes, whose seven species all share the common name snow crab, including the closely related Chionoecetes bairdi, known as the tanner crab.

Facts
Classification
Diet
Carnivore 1
System (Realm)
Marine 2
Relationship to People
Hunted or Fished 1
Relationship to People
Invasive or Introduced Species 1
Scientific Name
Chionoecetes opilio 1
Conservation Status
Not Evaluated 5
Partially Attested
Population Estimate
1,000,000,000 1
Figure is a reported count for the population that fell from about eight billion in 2018 to one billion in 2021 (Bering Sea, per the surrounding text); it is not a global estimate.
Identification
Distinguishing Appearance
Iridescent, brown to light red on top and yellow to white on the bottom 1
Comparison
NatureServe Rank
G5 Secure 3
CITES Appendix
Not Listed 4
Connections

Child Taxon Of

Decapoda, Taxa
Source Wikidata: Snow Crab

In Biome

Marine, Biomes
Source Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology: Chionoecetes opilio (Animal Diversity Web)
In the Other Atlases

Found In

Canada

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Norway

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Sources
1. Wikipedia: Chionoecetes opilio
  • Lead, sentence 1
    Chionoecetes opilio, a species of snow crab
  • Commercial importance
    It shrank from about eight billion in 2018 to one billion animals in 2021.
  • Anatomy
    Snow crabs are iridescent and range in color from brown to light red on top and from yellow to white on the bottom.
  • article text (relationship to people), EntityId 295840
    They are considered an invasive species there, but how they arrived there is unclear.
  • Diet
    Chionoecetes opilio crabs eat other invertebrates in the benthic shelf, such as crustaceans, bivalves, brittle stars, polychaetes, and even phytobenthos and foraminiferans.
View the Source
2. GBIF Species API
GBIF Species APIView the Source
3. NatureServe Explorer: Chionoecetes opilio
NatureServe ExplorerGlobal rank (roundedGRank)
Quote, Global rank (roundedGRank)
"roundedGRank": "G5"
View the Source
4. Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology: Chionoecetes opilio (Animal Diversity Web)
Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology
  • Conservation Status: CITES
    CITES No special status
  • In Biome: Marine, Habitat Regions
    Habitat Regions polar polar saltwater or marine saltwater or marine
View the Source
5. GBIF (IUCN Red List category): GBIF IUCN Red List category for Chionoecetes opilio
GBIF (IUCN Red List category)GBIF taxon key 2226639, category field
Quote, GBIF taxon key 2226639, category field
"category": "NOT_EVALUATED"
View the Source
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
International Union for Conservation of NatureView the Source
Wikidata: Snow Crab
  • Wikidata Q798471, class allow-list match (w-wdresolver-0926)
  • Child Taxon Of: Decapoda, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chain
View the Source
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