10.22376/ijpbs.2019.10.1.p1-12 Volume 5 Issue 4 2014 (October - December) Crabs are a good source of protein, carbohydrates and various minerals. Therefore, determining of the proximate and mineral elements of crab species has a great importance due to the good effect on human health. In the present study proximate and minerals composition of the crabs collected from the marine, estuarine, freshwater and terrestrial environments were analysed. The study reveals the higher protein content was observed in the marine crabs lessThan i greaterThan Portunus pelagicus lessThan /i greaterThan (23.23±0.22) and lowest protein level (13.23±0.02) was recorded in lessThan i greaterThan Cardisoma carnifex lessThan /i greaterThan crabs. In the body meat minimum carbohydrate content (1.1±0.02%) was recorded in lessThan i greaterThan Barytelphusa cunicularis lessThan /i greaterThan crabs and maximum (1.32±0.01%) value were recorded in the land crab lessThan i greaterThan C. carnifex lessThan /i greaterThan . Particularly, marine and estuarine crabs posses higher protein content than the land and fresh water crabs. However, the findings of minerals of calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium composition of estuarine and marine crabs particularly is more but the content of iron and copper content was high fresh water and terrestrial crab species. It can then be inferred that the crabs could be employed as a supplement of protein and mineral matter so as to balance human nutrition. Hence the consumption of marine crabs would help to prevent nutritional deficiencies in the future. It could be safely presumed that lessThan i greaterThan P. pelagicus lessThan /i greaterThan is a good source of protein and recommended as an ideal food item. JEYALAKSHMI KALA, K.L AND M. CHANDRAN Crabs; marine; estuarine; fresh water; terrestrial; proximate; minerals. 612-620