Crab Vs Lobster: Which Is Better? The Complete Guide

Crabs and Lobsters have similar and varied characteristics. This article will deliver the explained guide on Crab vs Lobster.

You might have been a regular fan of crabs and lobsters for a long time. Those two creatures are considered as two of the most delicious seafood types a person needs to eat.  You must have had different flavors, looks, prices as well as different nutritional values in the end.

Sometimes you have to make a call and choose one of them as you can have your own limitations. This article will bring a complete guide and comparison on Crab vs Lobster.

The Direct Comparison Of Crab Vs Lobster

	Crab	Lobster
Kingdom	Animalia	Animalia
Phylum	Arthropoda	Arthropoda
Class	Malacostraca	Malacostraca
Order	Decapoda	Decapoda
Adaptation to the subterranean conditions	Have a higher adaptation along with more than 50 families	Less than crabs and the only available family is Nephropidae
Species	More than 6500 special all around the world along with the higher spreading than lobsters	There are about 500 species.
History	They have been evolving since 201 million years ago	The traces fall back to 140 million years ago
Appearance	The thick exoskeleton, and the single pair of claws.	They have long bodies the muscular tail is the next thing that can be used to identify lobsters. When bleeding, the blue blood is the next significant thing to detect
Habitat	They are found all water sources around the world.	They have similar characteristics to crabs. But, they prefer having rocky conditions and sandy conditions.
Size	They can be as small as 3inches and as long as up to 4 meters	The usual length for a lobster is 25–50 cm
Behavior	They walk sideways. Crabs communicate with others using pinnacles.  The fighting or the aggressive behavior comes due to sexual necessities.	They can move forward as well as backward. Lobsters are socialized creatures which means they can have friends and the closest ones.  They are not as aggressive as crabs. But, when they do, they can kill their closest ones.
Diet	Crabs are considered omnivorous creatures. They use to depend on algae and other small insects in the ocean.  Also, mollusks, worms, small crustaceans, have been their next favorite food menus. However, some species could be identified as those who are concerned about diets.	Lobsters are omnivores creatures and mainly depend on fish, mollusks, small crustaceans. When coming to the Crab vs lobster, they eat small crabs as well.

Appearance

You must have seen this already. The first thing to consider of these two creatures in Crab vs Lobster is their appearance. Crabs have rounded bodies along with specified curves. This is the very first thing you can see from them as well.

When it comes to crabs, they have longer legs which they use to move forward quickly. They have only one pair of claws, which are supposed to provide the necessary protection. Even if you get to see lots of species of crabs that bring different colors, shapes, and sizes, you will find a crab by these small details.

A lobster doesn’t have a rounded body. They have long and narrow bodies. The class possessed by the lobsters is massive and more dangerous than crabs. It is said that the damage caused by the lobsters is two to a few times bigger than the crabs as well. Lobsters may come from different species.

But, their shape, color, and size are distinctive. The way these two species use their legs is significant. Usually, crabs walk sideways while lobsters find straight lines in forwarding and backward moves.

Social Habits

The social habit of crabs may differ from species to species. It means they live as single ones as well as groups. For example, if you have a look at the Sri Lankan mud crab, they live as singles. Putting them together will be a conflict for sure.

When considering the lobsters in Crab vs Lobster, you will find them to be socialized creatures. It means they prefer to live as groups. Even if you have the ability to find them to be individual creatures at some points, that will be rare for sure.

According to researchers, lobsters are much socialized, which means they may have relationships. Those relationships might have spread among the male and females as well. Unlike crabs, lobsters may have friends, partners, and brothers and sisters. But, it is important to remember that lobsters can be more dangerous than crabs when they get stressed. They may even eat other lobsters on such occasions.

Food habit

Both crabs and lobsters are omnivores creatures which means both species consume worms and other tiny mollusks like small creatures and plants for their food. Also, bacteria and algae have been their next favorite food. According to researches, lobsters prefer more animals than crabs.

The variation of the lobster food menu is also higher. They consume mussels, sea urchins, and small crabs as their food. Crab vs Lobster’s win literally goes to lobsters as lobsters can eat crabs.

Where They Live

When the habitat comes to the attention of Crab vs Lobster, you will not find too many significant facts. But, you will still separate those two species.

Crabs have the ability to live on any territory. Although crabs are sea creatures, they have an amazing ability to live on land for months. If they find warm and temperate time in the year, they will live on the land. Usually, Mud Crab species do this throughout the year.

When it comes to the ocean, you will be able to find the lobsters as well as the crabs in any temperate, depth a swell as any condition. However, cold water is not preferred by crabs but lobsters. That is one of the significant criteria of lobsters as well.

If you are in a cold region in the world, you will certainly find the lobsters around you. You will find the lobsters even in the freshwater if you get curious. If you are in hot or muddy conditions, you have to be looking for a crab.

Taste Of Crab Vs Lobster

Even if your intention is to find the more delicious one, that will be a hard thing to do. Although they have increased tastes among the seafood, you will find varied taste profiles for them. Crabs’ flesh is considered as a sweet taste. It contains a milky taste at the end half when you eat.

The cooking methods have got lots of things to do with crabs. Steaming and boiling are the most preferred cooking methods. Since the softness of the flesh is improved through cooking, the number of food types to be prepared is higher than lobsters.

When you eat crab meat, you will feel that it has broken apart as well. When the steaming or frying takes place, the softness will improve. When it comes to the lobster meat that is something similar to buttery milk.

Although the crunched feeling comes similar to crabs, that will not be sweet for sure. After a cooking process was involved, the hardness of the flesh will be observed. Other than steaming and boiling, grilling has been a better way to eat lobsters. Since their outer shell becomes thinner, they will be fine grilling creatures for sure.

Nutritional Value

Both crabs and lobsters are famous for having the highest amounts of protein along with fewer calories and fat. Even if you struggle with diseases related to fat, both lobsters and crabs will be recommended for you. According to stats, 100g of crab or lobster meat delivers up to 17g of protein which makes them the perfect weight gainer for men. According to experienced nutritionists, lobsters have protein slightly higher than crabs as well.

It is important to note that lobsters and crabs contain selenium, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc-like elements that can make you free from lots of diseases.

Price

The price has to be one of your concerns when considering facts on Crab vs Lobster. It might not be necessary to remind you that the price is not a thing that you can be relieved with these two. When it comes to the comparison of those two, you will have a lower price for crabs than lobsters. Y will have to pay an average price of 20USD per pound for lobsters in the USA.

When it comes to crab price that will be about 15USd per pound. The price is decided according to several factors such as where you live, your distance to fresh and seawater, the time of the year, the season, as well as the market demand. Other than that, the type of crab or lobster is a way to set the price. For example, if you expect to buy King Crab’s claws, that will be a bit expensive. 

Crab Vs Lobster Varieties

Crab and Lobster have got lots of varieties. As previously mentioned, carbs have got a higher variation in varieties along with the tolerance of various climatic conditions, sizes, colors, and the ability to survive harsh conditions. For example, the Sri Lankan Mud crab is one of those species that can tolerate the harshest conditions.

Here are a few crab varieties that have spread all across the world.

• Spider crab
• Rock crab
• Jonah crab
• Florida stone crab
• King crab
• Chesapeake blue crab
• European green crab
• Sri Lankan Mud Crab
• Snow crab
• Dungeness crab

When considering the lobster varieties, they also have got a higher number of varieties as well.  But, their physical appearance and flavor don’t vary in a higher range as crabs do. Basically, these lobster varieties have been named after the region or the country they are found. Although they can be identified using various factors, the identification should be conducted pretty thoroughly as well. Here are some types of popular lobster varieties in the world.

• Norway lobster
• Pacific lobster
• Australian lobster
• Maine lobster
• Canadian lobster
• Spiny lobsters
• Reef lobster
• Squat lobster
• Furry lobsters

Conclusion: Crab Vs Lobster

This article has delivered a direct comparison of the crabs and lobsters. How they live, where they live, what they look like, and even the basic description has been given to a newcomer who is interested in studying these amazing creatures.