The Dungeness crab is a species of crab that inhabits eelgrass beds and water bottoms from the Aleutian Islands in Alaska to Santa Cruz, California. Its binomial name, Cancer magister, simply means "master crab" in Latin.

They measure as much as 25 cm (10 inches) in some areas off the coast of Washington, but typically are under 20 cm (8 inches). They are a popular delicacy, and are the most commercially important crab in the Pacific Northwest, as well as the western states generally.

Males are attracted to potential mates by pheromones present in the urine of female Dungeness crabs. Upon locating an available female, the male initiates a protective pre-mating embrace that lasts for several days. In this embrace, the female is tucked underneath the male, oriented such that their abdomens touch and their heads face each other. Mating occurs only after the female has molted, and the female signals her readiness to molt by urinating on or near the antennae of the male. The female extrudes the eggs from her body several months later; however, they remain attached under her abdomen for three to five months until they hatch. Young crabs are free-swimming after hatching and go through five larval stages before reaching maturity after about ten moults or two years.

They are named after Dungeness, Washington; which is located approximately five miles north of Sequim and 15 miles east of Port Angeles. The annual Dungeness Crab and Seafood Festival is held in Port Angeles each October.

Dungeness crab have recently been found in the Atlantic Ocean, far from their known range, raising concern about their possible effects on the local wildlife.

Cookery

Like all crabs, the Dungeness crab is high in protein and minerals and low in fat.Fact: date=May 2008 About one quarter of this crab's weight is meat, making it one of the meatiest crabs available.Fact: date=May 2008 Most of the meat is in the eight legs and two claws, although the body contains plenty as well.Fact: date=May 2008

The flesh has what is considered to be a delicate flavor that is slightly sweet.

The two most useful tools for removing crab meat from the shell are a nutcracker and a shrimp fork. Sometimes, a cleaver, mallet or small hammer are used for cracking. Experienced eaters use one of the crab's own pointy "toes" to dig out the meat. Many Alaskans and coastal people use only their bare hands in order to break the shell and extract the meat.Fact: date=May 2008 Melted butter with garlic is sometimes used as a dipping sauce when eating the meat of the Dungeness crab. Regular melted butter and cocktail sauce or Thousand Island dressing are also popular.Fact: date=May 2008