King crabs are decapod crustaceans in the family Lithodidae that are chiefly found in deep waters and are adapted to cold environments. They are composed of two subfamilies: Lithodinae, which tend to inhabit deep waters, are globally distributed, and comprise the majority of the family's species diversity; and Hapalogastrinae, which are endemic to the North Pacific and inhabit exclusively shallow waters. King crabs are not true crabs and are generally thought to be derived from hermit crab ancestors within the Paguridae, which may explain the asymmetry still found in the adult forms. This ancestry is supported by several anatomical peculiarities which are present only in king crabs and hermit crabs. Although some doubt still exists about this hypothesis, king crabs are the most widely quoted example of carcinisation among decapods. Several species of king crabs, especially in Alaskan and southern South American waters, are targeted by commercial fisheries and have been subject to overfishing.
Munidopsis serricornis is a species of squat lobster. It is widely distributed in the world's oceans, being found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean, the western Atlantic Ocean, and the Indo-Pacific. It grows up to a carapace length of 20 millimetres (0.8 in).
Lithodes is a genus of king crabs. Today there are about 30 recognized species, but others formerly included in this genus have been moved to Neolithodes and Paralomis. They are found in oceans around the world, ranging from shallow to deep waters, but mostly at depths of 100–1,000 m (300–3,300 ft). They are restricted to relatively cold waters, meaning that they only occur at high depths at low latitudes, but some species also shallower at high latitudes. They are medium to large crabs, and some species are or were targeted by fisheries.
Neolithodes is a genus of king crabs, in the family Lithodidae. They are found in all major oceans, both in high and low latitudes. Although there are records from water as shallow as 124 m (407 ft) in cold regions, most records are much deeper, typically 700–2,000 m (2,300–6,600 ft), with the deepest confirmed at 5,238 m (17,185 ft). They are fairly large to large crabs that typically are reddish in color and spiny, although the size of these spines varies depending on species.
Paralomis zealandica, also known as the prickly king crab, is a species of king crab which lives at a depth between 254–1,212 m (833–3,976 ft) in New Zealand. It has a spiky carapace.
Neolithodes flindersi is a species of king crab found in southeastern Australia. They have been found at depths of 887–1,333 metres (2,910–4,373 ft) but typically appear from 950–1,050 metres (3,120–3,440 ft). They most closely resemble Neolithodes brodiei and Neolithodes nipponensis.
Neolithodes yaldwyni is a species of king crab which is found in the Ross Sea from depths of 124–1,950 metres (407–6,398 ft). It had previously been misidentified as Neolithodes brodiei, and it closely resembles Neolithodes capensis.
Neolithodes bronwynae, commonly known as the rock crab, is a species of king crab which is found at the Whakatane Seamount in the Bay of Plenty, the Lord Howe Rise near Lord Howe Island, eastern Australia, and possibly New Caledonia. It has been found at depths of 1,515–2,643 metres (4,970–8,671 ft).
Neolithodes brodiei, also known as Brodie's king crab, is a species of king crab which is native to New Zealand and its adjacent waters. It lives at a depth of 500–1,240 metres (1,640–4,070 ft) but is typically found within a depth of 950–1,150 metres (3,120–3,770 ft). It is the most widespread and common lithodid in New Zealand waters, and the New Zealand Department of Conservation classifies it as "Not Threatened".
Neolithodes capensis is a species of king crab which is found in the Southern Ocean and the western Indian Ocean. It has been found to a depth of 660–3,200 metres (2,170–10,500 ft). They have been found near Cape Point and around the Crozet and Kerguelen Islands in the subantarctic, and they are widespread in the Bellingshausen Sea on the Antarctic continental slope.
Neolithodes diomedeae is a species of king crab which is found in the eastern Pacific Ocean, the southwestern Atlantic Ocean, and the Bellingshausen and Scotia Seas in the Southern Ocean. They occur from 200 to 2,454 m.
Neolithodes nipponensis is a species of king crab which is found in Japan and Taiwan. It has been found at depths from 200–1,752 metres (656–5,748 ft).
Neolithodes duhameli is a species of king crab which is found in the Crozet Islands in the southwestern Indian Ocean from a depth of 620–1,500 metres (2,030–4,920 ft).
Paralomis dawsoni is a species of king crab which lives in New Caledonia, northern New Zealand, and the Solomon Islands at depths of 400–1,118 m (1,312–3,668 ft). Alongside P. zealandica, it is one of the two most common species of Paralomis in New Zealand. As of 2023, the Department of Conservation in New Zealand classifies P. dawsoni as "Naturally Uncommon".
Lithodes aotearoa is a New Zealand species of king crab. It had formerly been confused with L. longispina and L. murrayi, but neither of those species are found in New Zealand. It is the second most widespread and common lithodid in New Zealand waters after Neolithodes brodiei, and the New Zealand Department of Conservation classifies it as "Not Threatened".
Lithodes formosae is a species of king crab. It is presently known to be found in Taiwan from depths of 500–600 m (1,600–2,000 ft). It closely resembles Lithodes paulayi.
Lithodes jessica is a species of king crab in the genus Lithodes. It is found off the coast of New Zealand on the Lord Howe Rise at depths from 680–1,100 m (2,230–3,610 ft).
Paralomis webberi is a species of king crab in the genus Paralomis. It is found off the coast of New Zealand.
Lithodes macquariae is a species of king crab located off Macquarie Island, the Auckland Islands, and Peter I Island. It has been found at depths of 16–1,140 m (52–3,740 ft).
Lithodes turritus is a species of king crab. It is found in Japan, the East China Sea, Taiwan, and the Philippines at depths from 300–812 metres (984–2,664 ft).
