: any of various crabs having the carapace or legs covered with setae
especially
: chinese mitten crab
Hairy crabs used to be widely sold in the USA but are now largely banned as an invasive species—although they can still be found swimming in the waters off California and the Chesapeake Bay. —Michelle Yun, USA Today, 13 Oct. 2010 … marine scientists from the Chesapeake Bay to the Thames have declared the hairy crab, with its dark olive carapace and bristly legs, a menace to local ecosystems … —Sharon Silva, Gourmet, May 2007 As with most other kinds of revered Chinese foods, there's a whole ritual surrounding the appreciation of these hairy crabs and their roe, including what's the best drink to go with them. —Business Times (Singapore), 29 Oct. 2007
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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