About Metacarcinus novaezelandiae (Hombron & Jacquinot, 1846)
Metacarcinus novaezelandiae, previously classified as Cancer novaezelandiae and commonly called the pie crust crab, is a species of crab that occurs around New Zealand and south-eastern Australia. Historically, New Zealand Māori have included crabs as part of their kai moana, or food from the ocean, diet. Because crabs often live in coastal shallows, they are simple to collect, making them an easily accessible seafood. M. novaezelandiae is very likely one of the many crab species Māori ate, since it grows large enough to be used for food and is found across all of New Zealand. Even today, Māori still assert traditional rights to seafood including M. novaezelandiae as a cultural food resource.
