By Titilayo Kupoliyi
The Japanese spider crab is a giant crustacean that can grow up to 12.5 feet.
It is most commonly found on the Pacific side of Japan.
At first glance, they look like ancient monsters that have crawled straight out of a sci-fi movie.
However, in the marine community, they are known to be gentle giants.
Understandably, their names are inspired by their resemblance to a well-known arachnid – spiders.
The Japanese spider crab is a large catch for any fisherman.
It has a leg span of 13 feet (4 meters) and an average weight of around 40 pounds (16-20 kg), which makes it the largest crab.
The Japanese spider crab may also have the longest lifespan of any crab, living to be 100 years old.
However, Japanese spider crabs do not survive very long without injury.
Their long legs are weak, and a study found that three-quarters of surveyed crabs have at least one limb missing.
To protect themselves from predation, the smaller and younger crabs can decorate their shells with objects such as kelp.
As a species of marine crab, these crabs are often found inhabiting holes and pits on the ocean floor between 160 – 2,000 feet in depth.
Living at such deep depths and covered in a thorny protective exoskeleton, with 10 giant legs – these animals have few natural predators.
They are omnivorous, dieting on dead and decaying animals and plant matter on the sea bed. They may at times also eat live fish that come their way.
ocean.si.edu
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