The edible crab is particular species of crab found in the North and Mediterranean Seas, and the North Atlantic. It is a reddish-brown colour with an oval carapace, or shell with a distinctive 'pie-crust' edge.

To get at the crab meat, the shell must first be ripped off the top of the crab then the gills need to be cut off and discarded. Most of the meat is at the base of the legs, so the claws must be twisted off to expose it.