Dungeness

• Weighing approximately 2 to 4 lbs., the Dungeness crab trawls coastal waters from Alaska to Mexico, where it is harvested in winter months. The shell ranges from purple to brown in color, while the sweet flesh is pink. Known also by its Latin name, Cancer magister, the Dungeness is named for the small town in Washington state where the specimen was first commercially harvested.

King Crab

• The mighty King Crab can measure up to 10 feet and weigh as much as 25 lbs,, yet only a quarter of the massive specimen is considered edible. The claws and legs are the most highly sought-after delicacies by crab lovers, who enjoy the sweet, snowy-white flesh tinged with a reddish outer edge. Because of its size, the King Crab is also known as Alaskan King Crab, as well as Japanese or Russian Crab.

Stone Crab

• From October to May, the claws of Stone Crabs are harvested along the Florida coast for their sweet, firm flesh. Fishermen only extract one claw before returning the specimen to the sea, where it regenerates a new claw within a year and a half. Boil stone crab claws for at least seven minutes before icing or freezing the flesh, a process which rids the meat of a slight iodine flavor.

Blue Crab

• Named for the distinct blueish-green color of its claws, the Blue Crab is a popular, relatively common specimen found along the U.S. eastern coast. The crab's Latin name, Callinectes sapidus, translates as "beautiful swimmer." Blue crabs are unique in that they molt about 25 times in their lives. Once a shell is shed, the crab develops a new, slightly larger shell. During this period of growth, the crabs have a "soft shell," making them a highly sought after delicacy among culinary circles.