Rare Crab from Fetlar

15 January 2016 - Skipper Karl Dalziel of the Majestic (LK 678) found an unusual crab in one of his creels this week while fishing off Fetlar.

From pictures that he took NAFC Marine Centre staff were able to identify it as a Toothed Rock Crab (Cancer bellianus), a relative of the more familiar brown crab. Although similar to the brown crab, toothed rock crabs have rows of small serrated teeth around the edge of the carapace and the pale brown shell is covered with red spots.

Although their range extends from Morocco to Iceland, toothed rock crabs are more common in the south and only a few have been caught around Shetland. The most recent record was of one caught north of Muckle Flugga by the Venture in October 2013.

Further information about toothed rock crabs can be found in the NAFC Marine Centre's Discovery Zone.