ABSTRACT 



This report describes the observations of 9 molting 

 mature female king crabs ( Paralithodes caatschatiea ) caught in 

 Pavlof Bay on the Alaska Peninsula between Hay 1 and May 18, 

 1957* Observations shoved that the molting soft-shelled crabs 

 emerge through an opening between the posterior margin of the 

 carapace and anterior margin of the abdominal segments. The 

 female crabs all cast their shells without the males being 

 present. The remaining cast shells were intact, without 

 breaks in the shell parts. The maximum growth of the newly 

 molted crabs was attained 2 days after molting. 



