"Tourteau" is the vernacular name for a certain species of crab. It is characterized by its large size, its claws marked with black at their end and powerful enough to crush a human finger, and its smooth shell. The crabs family of which the common "tourteau" is a subcategory belongs to the brachyuran (Brachyura) species. All its members are decapods (ten legs) whose last two legs are claws. The tender flesh of the "tourteaux" is very popular with shellfish lovers.