ID this crab

ahoyhoy239

We caught this crab a couple nights ago bullynetting but threw it back not knowing the species and if it was legal to keep. Searching online the closest thing I could find is hairy clinging crab (mithrax pilosus). Can anyone confirm the ID, if they are legal to keep, and if they are good to eat?

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1377973820.924049.jpg

GT Fish

Spider ,yes tasty!

Poseidon10/31

GT Fish wrote: »

Spider ,yes tasty!

X2

jr9701

I didn't know there were spider crabs this far south.

Is this a rarity?

ZimmerNole

mmmmmmmm spider crab!

ahoyhoy239

Thanks for the help, next time I will keep it for dinner....I have seen them many times in the rocks while diving but I don't think they were quite this big.

BAMF

Doesn't look like there would be a whole lot of meat on em. Do you eat the claws, or body or both? I see them all the time on jetties.