King Crab vs. Dungeness Crab: How Do the Crabs Compare?

King crab, also known as Alaskan king crab, is one of the largest edible crab species in the world. (Some specimens can weigh up to ten pounds, with a leg span of six feet.) These giant crustaceans have shells covered in sharp spikes, sporting two differently sized claws: a small one for handling food and a larger one for smashing their prey. They primarily live in the North Pacific Ocean, the Bering Sea, and the Sea of Japan. Due to their enormous size and sweet taste—similar to lobster meat—king crabs are among the most popular crab species for commercial harvest.

The three types of king crab include red king crab (with a bright red shell), blue king crab (featuring a bright blue shell), and brown king crab (with a reddish-brown shell).

Dungeness crabs are a large species of edible crab from the Pacific Northwest. Named after a fishing village in Dungeness, Washington, this crab resides all along the west coast of North America, from Alaska to Mexico. This purple-hued crustacean has a smooth, spineless carapace—or hard upper shell—with relatively short legs compared to its body size, which is usually around seven inches wide. Most of the crabmeat in this species is found in its body, which bears mild-tasting, nutty flesh.

Dungeness crab and king crab are both popular edible crustaceans with some key differences. Here’s how to distinguish between the two species so that you can select the best choice for your favorite crab recipes.

• Appearance: King crabs are red, blue, or brown, with long legs and sharp spines covering their bodies. Conversely, Dungeness crabs have much shorter legs, a slight purplish hue, and mostly smooth bodies.
• Fishing season: Fishers catch most king crabs between October and January, while the longer Dungeness crab season lasts from December to July.
• Habitat: King crabs live in the North Pacific Ocean and the Bering Sea, though you'll find the majority of these crawlers right off the coast of Alaska and around the Aleutian Islands. Dungeness crabs live in waters throughout the western coast of North America, traveling from Alaska to as far south as Baja California Sur, Mexico. Fishers catch most Dungeness crab along the coasts of Alaska, Washington, and Oregon.
• Size: The red king crab is the largest edible crab species, with a carapace—or central body—as wide as eleven inches long and a leg span reaching almost six feet wide. Dungeness crab has only a slightly smaller carapace, spanning as wide as ten inches, but its shorter legs have significantly less meat than the king crab.
• Taste: Diners will find the tastiest king crabmeat in its meaty legs, which rival lobster tails in their tender texture and sweet flavor. Dungeness crab has tender body meat and firmer leg meat. Dungeness crab is also somewhat sweet, with a slightly less rich and more nutty flavor than king crab.

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