Crab

A crab (or a crawler)^[1] is a (typically) small crustacean that is often found on beaches. Crabs have high armor, as the shell would imply. Crabs are typically neutral and ignore passers-by. They drop claws and meat that are used in cooking recipes (e.g., [Crawler Meat] for making Crab Cakes). They are usually found along the coastline, but can survive for extended periods of time away from the ocean.^[2] Sometimes, they may appear as critters. One can even find tiny red lava crabs scuttling about in the Searing Gorge and Burning Steppes. Though few crabs were added during The Burning Crusade, they received more attention during Wrath of the Lich King, and Cataclysm, the latter of which introduced a second model of crab, often referred to as "sand crabs", after the name of the model used.

Some species have developed an advanced form of camouflage that causes their skin to appear translucent.^[3]

Spineclaw crabs of Pandaria have existed for thousands of years and remain one of the continent's oldest creatures.^[4]

Types[]

Known species[]

Amberglass Crabs are found in Pearlfin Village in the Jade Forest.
Azure Prickly Crawlers are found on the shore near Zouchin Village in Kun-Lai Summit.
Barbed, Skittering and Snapping Crustaceans can be found within Blackfathom Deeps
Barbed and Skittering Crawlers can be found surrounding the coasts of Azuremyst Isle.
Bitterwater Crabs and Muck Sifters are found in the Dread Wastes.
Canal Crabs are found in the canals of Stormwind.
Caldemere Snappers appear in Howling Fjord during the quest [10-30] I'll Try Anything!
Cattail Crabs and Glade Pinchers are found in the Valley of the Four Winds.
Cavern Crawlers are found in Kelp'thar Forest, occupying caves that would later be used as outposts by the horde and the alliance.
Clattering and Spined Crawlers can be found at The Zoram Strand in Ashenvale.
Clearwater Sandcrawlers, Sunset Crawlers and Elder Sunset Crawlers can de be found on the shores of Talador.
Crawlers and Tamed Crawlers are summoned by several mobs.
Darkmoon Tide Crawler are found on Darkmoon Island.
Deepseeker Crabs have been trained by the Idra'kess naga of the Shimmering Expanse.
Desert Crawlers are found in Tanaris, surrounding the areas flooded during the Cataclysm.
Duneshore Crabs are found near the coasts of Tanaris.
Enraged Reef Crawlers are found near the north-western coast of Desolace.
Enthralled Crustaceans are found in Swamp of Sorrows, found in a cave along with several other enthralled creatures.
Felscale Crawlers are found near the coast of the Badlands. They have been corrupted by Fel energies, and are seen burning with fel flames.
Fjord Crawlers can be found at the western coast of Howling Fjord.
Flesh-Eating Sandsnappers are found in Krasarang Wilds.
Giant Tidecrawlers can be found in Howling Fjord.
Glass Crabs can be found in alternative Nagrand.
Golden Crawlers are found in Eversong Woods. Their plague-infected cousins, the Rotting Crawlers, can be found to the south in the Ghostlands.
Green Sand Crabs are found in the Silver Tide Trench of the Shimmering Expanse. Agitated Green Sand Crabs can also be found here, having become aggressive due to Sambino's drilling operations. The quest [30-35] Totem Modification summons an Enormous Sand Crab from beneath the soil.
Guardian Hatchlings appeared during the battle against the Guardian of the Deep.
Harbor and Ocean Crawlers are found in the Wetlands, in the waters of Menethil Harbor.
King Crawlers are found near the Steam Pools of Feralas.
Landing Crawlers are found in Borean Tundra at Garrosh's Landing and Riplash Strand.
Luminescent Crawlers can be found in Isle of Thunder.
Moonshell Crawlers can be found in alternative Shadowmoon Valley.
Mosstide Crabs can be found in the north fo the Jade Forest.
Pyreshell Scuttlers can be found at the bottom of Coldlight Chasm in the Abyssal Depths. If tamed, they appear with a different skin each time they are summoned.
Reef Pinchers can be found in Townlong Steppes.
Saberclaw and Splitclaw Skitterers can be found in the Kelp'thar Forest region of Vashj'ir.
Sand, Sea and Shore Crawlers are found in Westfall, with a Southern variation living in The Cape of Stranglethorn.
Sand Scavengers and Sand Snappers are found in Ashran.
Sandskin Pincers are found south of Nespirah in the Shimmering Expanse.
Silversand Burrowers are found in the Shimmering Expanse, at Biel'aran Ridge.
Silt Crawlers are found at the north-eastern coast of Swamp of Sorrows, their larger brethren, the Monstrous Crawlers can be found at the south-eastern coast.
Southern Sand Crawlers are living on southern coast of The Cape of Stranglethorn.
Spineshell Pincers are found in the Shimmering Expanse, in the trench in front of Nespirah.
Spineclaw can be found in Krasarang Wilds and the Timeless Isle. They appear in the Ancient, King and Scuttler variations.
Spiny Rock Crabs are found in Dustwallow Marsh, at the northern coast of Theramore Isle.
Spiny Siltshells are found in Gorgrond.
Spiny Tidecrawlers are found in Tol Barad Peninsula.
Surfrider Crabs are found on the shores of Tanaan Jungle.
Surf Crawlers are found in Durotar. They also appear in the Pygmy, Mature and Encrusted variations. A corrupted variation was also present before the Cataclysm.
Tide crawlers are found in Darkshore, appearing in the Corrupted, Encrusted and Hermit variations. Normal Tide Crawlers were also present before the Cataclysm. A stronger variation of the Tide Crawler has since returned with the Fourth War.
Viseclaws are found in Krasarang Wilds, appearing in the Colossal, Elder, Fisher, Fry, Scuttler, and Venerable variations. They also exists in polluted version for classic Viseclaw, Viseclaw Fry, and Viseclaw Scuttler.

Extinct species[]

Reef Crawlers, Raging Reef Crawlers and Young Reef Crawlers lived in Darkshore before they went extinct due to the Cataclysm.

Named[]

Barnacle Jim is a rare mob found in Thousand Needles.
Carapin is a dead giant crab found in the Vale of Eternal Blossoms.
Carcinak is a rare mob found in Hillsbrad Foothills.
Crablegs is the pet of Dankin Farsnipe, a Goblin hunter trainer in Orgrimmar.
Crushclaw is the pet of Miriam Brassbomb, found at Tranquil Wash in Vashj'ir. It is the alliance counterpart of Snaptrap.
[Crusher] is the pet of Wastewalker Shu in the Dread Wastes.
Crusty is a rare mob found in the ocean near Desolace.
Guardian of the Deep is a boss living in Blackfathom Deeps.
Hugeclaw is a rare mob found in Dustwallow Marsh.
Kalan'ii is found in Vale of Eternal Blossoms.
Kili'ua, also known as “Two Huge Pincers” and “the mother of all crabs”, is found in Dragonblight. Her flesh was neccesary to attract the shark Tu'u'gwar.
Karkin is a rare crab with a unique skin found in the Molten Front.
Mister Pinch is the pet of Analynn in Ashenvale.
Moltar is the pet of Durin Darkhammer in the Burning Steppes.
Monstrous Spineclaw is a rare mob found on Timeless Isle.
Moon is a battle pet inside the garrison.
Scuttler is the pet of Guldor, an Orc hunter trainer in Orgrimmar.
Snappy is a battle pet located at the Valley of Spirits in Orgrimmar.
Snapclaw is found in an underwater cave deep in Narsong Trench in Krasarang Wilds.
Snaptrap is the pet of Larok, found at Legion's Rest in Vashj'ir. It is the horde counterpart of Crushclaw.

As a critter[]

Cave Crabs can be found in Frostwall.
Cave Crawlers can be found in Krasarang Wilds.
Crab Hatchlings can be found in all regions of Vashj'ir.
Emperor Crabs can be found in the south of the Dread Wastes.
Frostshell Pinchers and Ironclaw Scuttlers can be found in Frostfire Ridge.
Gearworks Crabs can be found in the Spires of Arak.
Infectis Scuttlers are found in the Eastern Plaguelands, in the Infectis Scar.
Juvenile Coral Crabs can be found in the Shimmering Expanse.
Kelp Scuttlers can found in Talador.
Lava Crabs can be found in the Searing Gorge.
Moonshell Crabs can be found in alternative Shadowmoon Valley.
Shore Crabs can be found in Azshara, the Borean Tundra, the Howling Fjord, the Twilight Highlands and Westfall.
Spirebound Crabs can be found on the Windless Isle in the Jade Forest.
Spirit Crabs are ghost crabs found on the shore of the Ghostlands.
Strand Crabs can be found in Northern Stranglethorn, Swamp of Sorrows and The Cape of Stranglethorn. One of these must be /love-d for the achievement To All the Squirrels I've Loved Before.
Zangar Crawlers can be found in alternative Shadowmoon Valley.

Warcraft III[]

This section concerns content related to Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos or its expansion The Frozen Throne.

SpiderCrab — Spider crab from Warcraft III.

Warcraft III featured several crabs

Hermit Crabs were critters in sunken ruin maps.
Spider Crabs could be found as either critters or as hostile mobs in sunken ruins maps, appearing in the shorecrawler, limbripper and behemoth variations.

As a mount[]

BlizzCon 2018 - Nazjatar rewards — Snapback Scuttler crab mount shown off at BlizzCon 2018 for patch 8.2.0.

[Snapback Scuttler] is rewarded from completing [Undersea Usurper].

As a companion pet[]

[Bucketshell] and [Sir Snips] are Honor level 400 rewards for Horde and Alliance respectively.
[Freshwater Pincher] is bought for 250 from either Jenoh or Madeline Netley.
[Glittering Diamondshell] is a rare drop from Sandclaw Stoneshell in Nazjatar.
[Sandclaw Nestseeker] is a rare drop from Glimmering Chests in Nazjatar.
[Scuttle] and [Sparkleshell Sandcrawler] are rare drops from Island expeditions.
Shore Crawler can be purchased from Matty by goblin players.
[Spineclaw Crab] is a rare drop from Monstrous Spineclaw on the Timeless Isle.
[Strand Crawler] is a rare drop from Bag of Fishing Treasures, which are rewarded from the fishing dailies offered by Marcia Chase in Dalaran.
[Translucent Shell] can be purchased from Galissa Sundew <Fishing Prizes> at the Darkmoon Faire at a cost of 100 .

Wild battle pets[]

The following crab pets can be captured in pet battles around the world:

Coralback Fiddlers in Highmountain
Coastal Scuttler in Drustvar
Emperor Crabs in Dread Wastes
Fen Crabs in Tanaan Jungle
Ironclaw Scuttlers and Frostshell Pinchers in Frostfire Ridge
Kelp Scuttlers in Talador
Juvenile Scuttlebacks in Azsuna and Eye of Azshara
Lava Crabs in Searing Gorge and Burning Steppes
Moonshell Crabs and Zangar Crawlers in Shadowmoon Valley
Sandclaw Pincher and Sandclaw Sunshell in Nazjatar
Shore Crabs and Strand Crabs in various zones
Spirebound Crabs in the Jade Forest
Spirit Crabs in the Ghostlands

As a hunter pet[]

Type
Tenacity
Diet

Abilities
Basic	Special	Exotic	Bonus

Popular in arenas because of [Pin], they are easy to feed and their low profile makes them ideal for using in groups.

Patch changes[]

Patch 6.0.2 (2014-10-14): [Pin] replaced with [Harden Shell].
Patch 3.1.0 (2009-04-14): Bonuses equalized.
Damage had no bonus and now has +5% bonus.
Health had a 10% bonus and now has a +5% bonus.
Patch 3.0.2 (2008-10-14): Major changes.
Gained a new ability, [Pin].
Armor had a +13% bonus and now has a +5% bonus.
Health had a -4% penalty and now has +10% bonus.
Damage had a -5% penalty and now has no penalty.