King crab or false king crab: telling them apart before you pay
Two different species, two different prices, and a confusion one question resolves.
The king crab (Lithodes santolla) and the false king crab (Paralomis granulosa) are two different species from the same marine territory. They share habitat, fishing gear and part of their common name, but not size or price.
The false king crab is smaller. That does not make it an inferior product: it has its own cooking and its own market. The problem appears when one is sold under the other’s name, or when the diner does not know both exist and assumes a low price is a bargain.
The question that works
"Is it centolla or centollón?" Asked plainly like that, it gets a direct answer in any serious venue. If the answer is vague, the vagueness is itself information.
Answers
- ¿Centolla o centollón?
- What is the difference between centolla and centollón?
Sources used
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Undersecretariat for Fisheries and Aquaculture
Government of Chile · Consulted August 29, 2026
Authority setting closed seasons, quotas and fishery management measures. Seafood season windows must be checked here before publication.
- Both species are managed as distinct fisheries.
Related reading
Where to eat whole king crab in Punta Arenas
What to ask, what to tell apart and what to expect before ordering a whole king crab in the capital of Magallanes.
Seafood available by season
What depends on closed seasons, what depends on the sanitation programme, and what depends only on the weather.