2nd largest crab in the world. The world's largest crab

I suggest you watch and read fascinating information about the grand representative arthropods on our planet - Japanese spider crab or giant crab (lat. Macrocheira kaempfer). The length of his body together with the paws is 4 meters.

I saw this photo for a long time on the Internet and assumed that it was some kind of photoshop or a scarecrow

The Japanese spider crab is a species of crustacean from the infraorder Crabs (Brachyura). This species received its scientific Latin name Macrocheira kaempferi in honor of the German traveler and naturalist Engelbert Kaempfer, who lived in Lemgo, Germany and was described in 1836 by the zoologist Konrad Jakob Temminck from Holland. This is one of the largest representatives of the world fauna of arthropods. The largest individuals of the Japanese spider crab reach 45 cm in carapace length, and the span of the first pair of legs reaches 3 m, and the maximum body length with legs reaches 4 m. The crab is equipped with a very powerful weapon- 40 cm claws.

The Japanese spider crab lives in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Japan at various depths. Its body weight reaches 20 kg. The average length of the cephalothorax (body) without legs is 30-35 cm. The optimal depth of their habitat is 150-300 m, but more often they are found at a depth of about 200-300 m. And only during breeding during egg-laying in the spring, the Japanese spider crab rises up to 50 m.

It feeds mainly on mollusks, as well as the remains of dead animals. It is believed that the Japanese spider crab lives, presumably up to 100 years.

The Japanese spider crab is widely used for food, scientific and ornamental purposes, often found in large aquariums. In spring, during egg-laying, crabbing is completely prohibited. It's the only one modern look genus Macrocheira. But in ancient times, its other relatives lived, since there are two reports of fossil finds of the species †M. longirostra and †M. teglandi. The taxonomy of these crustaceans has not yet been finally established, therefore this genus is sometimes assigned to the family Inachidae, sometimes to Majidae, sometimes it is isolated into an independent family Macrocheiridae Dana, 1851.

Japanese spider crab - this is the largest representative of arthropods, inhabitants Pacific Ocean, can be found most easily around the islands of Honshu and Kyushu. Here adults are most often used as a very decorative and unusual animal for aquariums. These giants are truly exotic decorations for any interior. The dimensions of this "monster" are really amazing, since the Japanese spider crab, also called the giant crab (in English. Giant spider crab) with outstretched limbs can reach 4 m! At the same time, males are larger than females.

The largest adult crabs are not suitable for fishing, as they say that their meat is already tasteless. And all due to the fact that they, living at a fairly large depth, where they most often feed on carrion (fish and shellfish), which over time gives crab meat a bitter taste. Young crabs, which have not yet reached sexual maturity and have not brought offspring, are used for fishing. It is their meat that is considered very tender and is a delicacy everywhere, which greatly affects the reduction of their population. This is why the Japanese spider crab needs protection, especially in the spring when they are laying eggs when they congregate in shallow water. Females spawn about 1.5 million eggs during spawning, but up to adult state only a small fraction survive. And the Japanese spider crab becomes sexually mature at about 10 years of age. Although their average life expectancy is 50 years, sometimes there are specimens under a hundred years old. ……

The first biologist to publish a description amazing creature, was a German naturalist and explorer Engelbert Kampfer. Since then, namely in 1727, the giant crab has become known to Western scientists. For the first time, information about a huge spider crab is found in ancient Japanese literature. The crab spider got its name because there is an amazing similarity with the insect of the same name.

Recently a record-breaking crab was caught. This huge crab has already received the nickname "Crab Kong", and yet it will still grow. The size of a giant crab reaches 3 meters in diameter, and when he becomes an adult, he will be able to ride a car. The Japanese spider crab was caught in the Suraga Bay area southwest of Tokyo. The spider crab's gastronomic qualities are highly valued and were originally intended to be made into soup. Luckily for the crab, fishermen contacted biologist Robin James of Weymouth Sea Life, who visited the village just a few weeks ago.

And the 40-year-old crab, before moving permanently to Munich, is the central attraction of an amusement park in Dorset. Weymouth Sea Life staff are confident that Crab Kong has surpassed its 15kg predecessor Crabzilla and is the largest crab ever seen in captivity.

The head and thorax of Japanese crabs are covered with a flat and short carapace, which ends in a spiny, sharp rostrum. The upper part of the carapace is equipped with numerous tubercles and spikes that serve as protection. The weight of these terrible giants easily reaches the mark of 20 kg.

Interestingly, this species belongs to the order of decapods, and this is already one of the most famous orders of crustaceans. It is to him that our usual crayfish belongs, which has long become a character in many children's fairy tales. Who would have thought that he had such an outstanding relative!

The giant crab is the only known member of the genus Macrocheira, but two fossils of its close relatives (†M. longirostra and †M. Teglandi) have been reported. Who knows, maybe some interesting relative of the Japanese spider crab will be found at great depths.

Giant Crab in Blackpool

Senior Marine Curator Chris Brown prepares the relocation of a Japanese spider crab named “Big Daddy” to new house at the Marine Animal Center in Blackpool. A giant Japanese spider crab with a claw span of three meters will now take up residence in the Golden Mile enclosure. This is the largest crab living in a zoo in Europe.

The giant spider crab is so huge that if it wanted to walk along the shore, it could theoretically step over a small camper van. Lucky for us, it stays underwater.

At a depth high pressure, but a layer of durable chitin protects the shell from indentation. The leg joints of the spider crab are designed to allow it to move only sideways. Smooth cartilage surfaces reduce friction. Two muscles within each segment of the leg attach to rods in the next segment. One muscle flexes the joint, the second extends it again.

Did you know?

A young spider crab can only grow to adult size by shedding its hard outer shell. The old shell is discarded, and under it an internal soft one is found, which the crab inflates to large sizes before it hardens.

If a spider crab accidentally loses a leg, it grows a new one, which becomes longer with each molt.

Some species of spider crabs protect themselves by resting in the vicinity of sea ​​anemones Snakelock, and appear to be immune to their burns. Settling with its back to the central stem of the anemone, the crab is almost completely hidden from view by the anemone's tentacles hanging over it.

Sometimes spider crabs are washed ashore during the surf, in dams between stones, but they cannot survive being out of the water.

One type of spider crabs feed on plankton. It hangs from the algae, grabbing onto them with its hind legs, and with its massive claws "sifts" the water in search of edible pieces.

In this list of the most creepy representatives of the world of invertebrates, we will take a virtual trip around our planet and get to know the real record holders, who turned out to be the largest mollusks, crayfish, spiders and centipedes. The sizes of some of them sometimes even exceed the sizes of small dogs, and some will be bigger than a man. Just imagine these gigantic spineless creatures crawling, swimming and running all over the Earth!

10 Japanese Spider Crab

This is the largest representative of the group of arthropods known to science. The Japanese spider crab or Macrocheira kaempferi is an ideal contender for leading role in some sci-fi thriller, because this incredible animal weighs up to 20 kilograms, and the length of its body, including legs, sometimes reaches as much as 4 meters! Spider crab is loaded to a depth of 150 to 800 meters. The creature is covered with a strong shell, but it is its disproportionately long legs that impress most of all, which it uses especially actively during the hunt, easily capturing its prey with them. The legs of this arthropod are armed with powerful and very sharp claws, which allows the crab to include in its diet not only plants and the remains of other animals, but also mollusks, the shells of which he learned to open on his own in order to get to the nutritious “filling”.

The Japanese spider crab sets sail not only for hunting, but also to practice the art of disguise, for which he even received the title of "decorator crab". All kinds of sea shells, algae, sponges and sea anemones often grow right into the shell of this giant creature, which helps it literally merge with the seabed and look like an ordinary underwater rock. But these largest crustaceans on Earth begin their existence with a simple microscopic larva, resembling plankton rather than the embryo of a future giant crab. The larva drifts across the ocean until it grows large enough to choose its own path, spreading its giant legs and grabbing everything edible around them.

9. Tasmanian giant freshwater crayfish, Astacopsis gouldi

Black, sleek and armed with huge frightening claws - all this is about the Tasmanian giant crayfish, the largest freshwater representative of his squad. The huge lobster looks like a prop created to intimidate an impressionable public, although it is still a very real animal, growing up to 80 centimeters in length and weighing up to 5 kilograms. Astacopsis gouldi is found only in the Tasmanian area. By the way, this holder of the title of the largest freshwater invertebrate on the planet, ironically, lives in rather small streams.

Despite the fact that a meeting with such a monster can threaten a person with serious injury, today these freshwater creatures are under threat of destruction precisely because of people. Overfishing seriously damaged the number of large mature individuals, which, together with the destruction of their natural environment habitat sent the species straight to the list of the International Red Book. Giant freshwater crayfish need cool and clean water, and such sources in Tasmania are becoming less and less, and in the wild there are now no more than 100 thousand individuals.

The extinction of the species worried the environmental authorities, and they even introduced a ban on catching these rare crayfish. Deforestation in the most vulnerable areas has also been limited. It is deforestation (cutting down trees) that often causes either swamping of the area or drought, and inevitably leads to the loss of protection from the scorching sun, and there is no coolness in the forest without shade. The Giant Freshwater Crayfish Protection Act has been in force since 1998. average life expectancy rare species is approximately 30 years old, males reach sexual maturity at the age of 9 years, and females at 14 years. All this means that these creatures are still in dire need of conservation measures for unhindered reproduction and restoration of the affected population.

8. Giant hunting spider, Heteropoda maxima

This species was discovered by the German arachnologist Peter Jager during his Lao expedition in 2001. The giant hunting spider is still little known, but this is not for long, because it turned out to be the largest spider in the world - the span of the limbs of this invertebrate can reach as much as 30 centimeters. Distinctive feature Heteropoda maxima is a brindle pattern in black, beige and red hues that adorns its cephalothorax, paws and abdomen. The diet of this spider is very diverse, and it was the aggressive and energetic manner of hunting that got its name, because instead of the traditional weaving of the web and waiting in ambush, the arthropod predator prefers to take the initiative first and catches up with its victims without the help of nets.

The giant hunting spider runs very fast and knows how to move not only back and forth, but also sideways, like crabs, in which it is precisely these surprisingly long legs with curved joints that are extremely advantageously located along its entire length that help it. Speed, agility, a terrible hypnotic gaze and prominent fangs leave the victim with almost no chance of survival. By the way, the males of the giant hunting spider have longer legs than the females, but the body is larger for the female representatives.

In itself, such a recent discovery of the spider Heteropoda maxima suggests that many more incredible discoveries await us ahead, and not related to some microscopic creatures, but to the real giants of the world of invertebrates.

7 Giant Centipede

Centipedes are simply the most terrible creatures, and because of their strong poison and agility, sometimes they are also extremely dangerous even for humans. Centipedes come in a wide variety of sizes, and their hunting instincts are so strong that they can make even the most seasoned arthropod expert shudder. The largest and scariest centipede in the world is the Amazonian giant centipede or Scolopendra gigantean. This invertebrate creature preys not only on insects, but can kill even small birds and mice. Its bite can be fatal even for humans! Although more often it threatens with pain, swelling, redness of the skin, and less often with fever and weakness. By the way, this centipede was called giant quite deservedly - some grow up to 35 centimeters in length, so such creatures look like real monsters from horror films ...

The giant centipede is found not only in the Amazon region, but also in some other regions of South America, including Jamaica and Trinidad. The most spectacular can be called the hunt of these predators on bats. Amazonian centipedes climb into dark caves, crawl up the walls onto the ceilings of these underground systems and hang from them, clinging to the arches with their strong hind legs to pounce on unsuspecting bats in flight. The victim is immobilized by the most powerful centipede poison, which she injects into mice with the help of fangs, which are modified forelimbs (jaws).

Dangerous claws can easily pierce and human skin, which inevitably threatens to damage the chemical mixture, which includes complex amino acids and substances that adversely affect the function of the heart muscle. Such a cocktail is certain death for almost any bird, mammal, and even some snakes that dare to encroach on an appetizing centipede. In addition to their venom, these centipedes pose a great danger because of their manner of attack - during the fight, they dig into the victim (or opponent) with literally all their legs, leaving her no chance of escape.

6. Giant African centipede, Archipirostreptus gigas

Centipedes are considered to be tiny creatures, but rightly called the giant Archispirostreptus gigas is a real giant of the centipede world! The eerie-looking creature grows up to 38-39 centimeters in length, and its legs are truly countless - as many as thousands! The invertebrate lives in the subtropical rainforests of West Africa, preferring warm, dark and humid places. The giant African centipede is a detritus feeder, which means that it has adapted to feeding on decaying organic materials predominantly of plant origin. The body of Archispirostreptus gigas is covered with massive plates. Like most other centipedes, this arthropod is extremely flexible, able to wriggle and twist into a ball, which makes it not so easy prey for predators. If acrobatic stunts fail, the animal releases a toxic fluid.

These centipedes should not be confused with poisonous centipedes, which strike with their chemical weapons during the hunt, injecting it into the victim's body. powerful fangs during the bite. The giant African centipede uses the toxin only for self-defense, its jaw is rather weak for serious bites, and its secretions are dangerous only for integumentary tissues, eyes or gastrointestinal tract. However, the queen of centipedes, as biologists secretly called her, has one more weapon. Disturbed by a predator or a curious naturalist, this arthropod sometimes emits a highly volatile and extremely unpleasant odor substance - hydrocyanic (hydrocyanic) acid, which causes intoxication of varying severity.

The giant centipede is nocturnal, avoiding the daytime when there is much more risk of encountering predators, and prefers to crawl through the forest in search of rotting plants and fruits under the cover of darkness. Millipedes are very unusual animals, and for biologists they are of particular interest. respiratory system. To breathe, these invertebrates literally absorb air through small holes (spiracles) with their whole body. That is why, in conditions of excessive humidity, they can even suffocate.

5. Antarctic giant squid Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni

Before you is not just the most majestic squid on Earth, this is the largest invertebrate animal on the planet! Good news- it lives in very remote water areas in the Antarctic region, so you are not in danger of colliding with it on a hot beach. At least these squids have so far been met only in the most frosty corners of the Earth.

The species Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni is still little studied. The estimated maximum length of the entire body is up to 10 meters, and the weight is up to 495 kilograms. Even the eyes of this Antarctic giant are the largest eyes of any life form on the planet, measuring up to 27 centimeters in diameter. If you are still not completely impressed, it's time to be horrified, because the tentacles armed with sharp and maneuverable hooks and the powerful beak of a giant are so dangerous that they can cause quite noticeable injuries even to sperm whales hunting them. Scientists have repeatedly noted the characteristic scars on the skin of giant whales, presumably from collisions with giant mollusks (the type to which the Antarctic squid belongs).

Giant squids are of great interest to science due to their rarity and difficult to access habitat for humans. To date, researchers have at their disposal a rather modest collection of the remains of this species and very little experience in studying living individuals. However, we already know that Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni females usually grow larger than males, and also that an ambush predator that grows to such incredible dimensions owes its unique appearance to a phenomenon called abyssal gigantism (change in size as the depth of the range increases).

4 Giant Australian Trumpeter, Syrinx aruanus

We most often meet snails in gardens, parks and forests, someone even eats them (the French simply adore), and everyone has long been accustomed to the fact that these are usually small slugs with “horns” hiding in beautiful shells. But it's time to change your mind about what snails are like outside your yard. For example, this giant lives in coastal waters Australia, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, and today Syrinx aruanus is recognized as the largest in the world gastropod(snail). The giant Australian trumpeter is a predatory animal that is still little studied by biologists, but has long been popular with private collectors because of its amazing shells. The size of these "houses" is tens of centimeters, and the largest individual, known to science, grew a shell 91 centimeters long! Together with its amazing protective shell, the animal can weigh up to 18 kilograms.

Giant Australian trumpeters have adapted to feed on huge marine worms, although it is possible that more careful observations will reveal many more new and interesting things about them to scientists. Today, we know not so much about these giants, because Australian trumpeters are quite rare, and may need conservation status. As in the case of some lungfish, trumpeters are characterized by direct development without a larval stage. The female lays eggs, from which, as a result, already fully formed tiny snails hatch, and the new generation remains to live in the same place where it was born. This greatly distinguishes the giant Australian trumpeter from most other mollusks, which, in their larval stage, swim through the seas like plankton, colonizing remote or depleted regions in need of enrichment with new bioforms. Australian trumpeters live mainly in shallow water bodies and go no deeper than 50 meters. These mollusks were called trumpeters for the outward resemblance of their shells to the notorious musical instrument.

3. Palm Thief, Birgus latro

As we already know, the Japanese spider crab, which you met at the very beginning of this collection, received the title of the largest crab in the world. In the third paragraph, we will talk about something else. unique form- a hermit crab that lives mainly on land, and is recognized as the world's largest terrestrial arthropod. The palm thief is a real champion, because the length of his body reaches up to 40 centimeters. Charles Darwin himself called these crabs monsters! Birgus latro is the only tree-climbing hermit crab. His climbing skills are truly amazing and save this creature from almost any threat. An invertebrate found on the islands indian ocean and in the western Pacific. It feeds not only on coconuts that have fallen to the ground, which it quickly opens with powerful claws, but also on other crabs or food left by people.

By the way, coconuts are not only the favorite food of palm thieves, but also their favorite construction material. These crabs are known for their habit of hiding in shallow burrows, which they line from the inside with fibers from coconut shells. Unlike common hermit crabs, palm thieves are quick to stop using empty shells. sea ​​shellfish, because as they grow up, they acquire their own fairly durable calcified exoskeleton that can protect them from daily dangers no worse than someone else's shell. For example, if a crab falls while climbing trees, this strong shield saves it from serious injury, and from the landing site it always crawls almost unscathed.

According to the reports of experts from the International Red Book, there is not enough information about the population size of this species to recommend its special protection to the relevant departments. However, it is already known that in Australia and Madagascar people are so actively developing new territories that all these crabs have practically survived from there. Previously, it was believed that palm thieves suffer the most from the appearance of artificially introduced predators (rats) in their range. However, observations have shown that these extraordinary arthropods from time to time began to hunt fertile rodents themselves. Surprisingly, such large terrestrial larvae begin their lives as barely visible to the naked eye, floating in the sea with plankton until they develop enough to get to land and climb trees.

2. Giant forest scorpion, Heterometrus

Scorpions of almost any size inspire fear in people, but representatives of this species are truly creepy and dangerous creatures. It is said that even hiking boots with an iron plate at the toe can suffer from their power. Adults grow up to 18 centimeters in length, and the giant forest scorpion, discovered in the 1940s, is recognized as the record holder - as much as 292 millimeters in length! Heterometrus swammerdami, found in India and Sri Lanka, is the largest scorpion in the world. They weigh about 55 grams and are not very poisonous, because their main weapon is powerful claws that easily crush delicious prey.

Giant forest scorpions are usually black in color. A pair of impressive pincers seems disproportionately large for the body of this animal. The well-known poisonous sting is also crowned with a disproportionately thick tail. The poison of this species is not as concentrated and dangerous as the toxins of smaller scorpions, because during hunting and self-defense, the arthropod can do without " chemical weapons due to its vigor and strength. However, given the size of this invertebrate, there is a lot of poison in it, so that a disturbed forest scorpion is able to punish its opponent with a very significant dose of toxic substances. Incredibly, giant forest scorpions are popular pets among connoisseurs of exotic animals and sophisticated arthropod collectors. Remember, keeping such creatures in home terrariums is an unsafe hobby, requiring safety precautions to avoid injury.

1. Giant isopods, Bathynomus giganteus

No, this is not a magnified image of a microscopic tick, not a monster from an alien movie, and not an extinct prehistoric creature. It's a giant isopod. Isopods may not be the most famous animals, but they are still one of the fairly common inhabitants of our planet with you, and just thinking about it makes you a little uncomfortable. The most familiar relatives of this species are common wood lice. In scientific classification, giant isopods are classified as crustaceans.

An experienced forager and scavenger, this armored isopod prefers to feast on not only dead fish, but also the remains of whales. However, giant isopods are quite omnivorous, because with their powerful jaws they are able to tear apart quite different prey and have learned to use them as real multi-tools. Sometimes giant isopods even attack fish caught in the nets of passing trawlers. It turns out that they are not so modest scavengers, and sometimes even become cunning thieves.

Giant isopods are found all over the world. The largest representatives of this species grow up to 50 centimeters in length, which is typical for such a phenomenon as deep-sea gigantism. Bathynomus giganteus isopods are solitary and prefer to live at depths between 170 and 2140 meters.

The overlapping segments of the exoskeleton of these creepy invertebrates in the front part have special slits for the eyes, which should be described separately. The compound eyes of giant isopods contain a special reflective layer called the tapetum, which causes the effect of their glow in the underwater twilight. AT Everyday life we are used to observing this phenomenon more on the example of cats. The reflective shell helps deep-sea giants see in the near-bottom darkness, and at the same time makes them even more creepy.

Speaking of crabs, we usually imagine small creatures whose dimensions do not even exceed the size of a human palm. But this is far from the case: out of approximately 6,800 known (at the time of 2017) species, hardly half are “babies”. Large land crabs, blue and king crabs, Japanese spider crabs and many other relatives in some cases can reach a meter in length. Their weight in this case ranges from five to twenty kilograms. Yes, and their close relatives, such as the palm thief ( coconut cancer), reaching forty centimeters in length, do not lag behind in size. Given this, it is safe to say that the crab must be a really big creature. In this article, you will learn about the largest known species of crabs and a single individual named Claude - the main contender for the title of the largest representative of crustaceans on Earth.

The largest types of crabs

Before talking about the largest individual, it is worthwhile to figure out what species it could belong to. To do this, we will tell you about the giants of the arthropod world. So, they most often include the following types:

• king crabs

This is one of the most famous arthropod species in the world - at least, because it is its representatives that are most often eaten. These animals live in the Far Eastern waters: Okhotsk, Japanese, Bering and Barents Seas. Moreover, in the last they were brought intentionally, to artificially increase the range. Near the coasts of Kamchatka, the population of these crustaceans is most impressive. That is why the second name of this species is the king crab. Its representatives feed on gastropods.

This species, like the previous one, is commercial. Other famous titles species - a large land or edible crab. The diet of brown crabs includes smaller crustaceans and mollusks (mainly blue mussels). These animals live in the Atlantic, and according to some sources in the Black, mediterranean seas. They live up to thirty years, while reaching a weight of up to three kilograms.

These animals are considered the largest arthropods in the whole world: the span of their paws can reach three meters, and the body size, excluding legs, can be up to forty-five centimeters. The sum of the length of the body and legs in the largest individuals of this species is about four meters. These huge animals feed on carrion, plants and mollusks. The exact lifespan is unknown, but it is believed to be in the range of 100 years.

Now, having dealt with the classification a little, we will talk about the largest crab in the world. It belongs to the giant Tasmanian spider crabs. It was caught by fishermen off the coast of Australia. According to measurements taken in 2016, the width of its carapace was thirty-eight centimeters, and the weight was about seven kilograms.

On the this moment In the world, the crab lives in the Sea Life Aquarium (Weymouth, UK), whose employees bought it for $5,000, and is a kind of local attraction. It is already officially the largest crab in England, but it is still far from the title of truly the largest individual in the world - at the moment it is only the largest registered crab. Although, given that Claude (as the aquarium staff calls him) is still very young, he still has enough time to grow up to this honorary title - individuals of his species live, on average, up to twenty years.

Crabs are classified higher crayfish, type Arthropods, detachment You can meet these animals on our planet everywhere. Crabs have five pairs of limbs. The first of them has long turned into quite powerful claws. The sizes of these animals depend on the species. Usually, the width of the arthropod shell varies from two to thirty centimeters.

Variety of species

On European coasts, land crabs are the most common. They can be found on the surf strip with soft ground. The swimming crab also lives there. In this animal, the last pair of limbs is small blades. Crabs of this species are excellent swimmers. They get their food from the water. The closest relative of these two species is the Chinese crab. The spider, also known as a giant crab, lives near Japanese islands in the waters of the Pacific Ocean.

The largest arthropod

The Japanese spider crab belongs to the Majidae family. The scientific name of the arthropod in Latin is Macrocheira kaempferi. His crab received in honor of Engelbert Kaempfer, a German naturalist and traveler. This crustacean was first described in 1836 by Konrad Jacob Temminck, a Dutch zoologist.

The Japanese spider crab (see photo below) is the largest of all arthropods.

The largest individuals of this species of crabs have a carapace length of up to forty-five centimeters. At the same time, they are owners of rather long legs. It should be said that the span of the first pair can reach three meters. Such a crab is equipped with forty-centimeter claws. They serve as a powerful weapon for the arthropod. There are individuals whose maximum body length with legs reaches four meters.

The chest and head of the Japanese crab are covered with a short and flat carapace ending in a sharp rostrum. Protection of the arthropod is provided by numerous spines and tubercles. They are located at the top of the carapace. The weight of these giants is often twenty kilograms.

At the depth of the ocean there is a high pressure created by the water column. However, the shell of a giant crab is protected from indentation by a layer of durable chitin.

The joints of the legs of the animal are arranged in a special way. They allow him to move only sideways. The surfaces of the cartilage in the joint are very smooth. This greatly reduces friction.

Japanese spider crab - possessing an orange body. His legs are adorned with white spots. The eyes of a crab are located on the front of the head. Two spikes stick out between them.

Nutrition and reproduction

The Japanese spider crab performs the same work on the ocean floor as it does on land. It feeds on the skeletons of dead animals, mollusks and plants.

It is believed that this arthropod can live up to a hundred years. Individuals of this species are found at a depth of one hundred and fifty to eight hundred meters. With the onset of spring, crabs rise closer to the surface. At this time, they can be found at a depth of fifty meters. Why is this happening? It is at this depth that crabs are engaged in the continuation of their kind. During this period, there is a ban on catching them.

During spawning, one female can lay one and a half million eggs. However, only a small number can survive to reproductive age. Small crabs are hunted by predatory inhabitants of the ocean. Those individuals that are larger become human prey. The Japanese spider crab is capable of reproducing offspring from the age of ten.

Eating

As well as possible, this delicacy product is suitable for those who want to get rid of extra pounds. Coarse fibers help in this process, which in in large numbers found in crab meat. The product is rich in taurine, iodine, vitamins and many other elements beneficial to human health.

The giant Japanese crab is often caught for food purposes. Only young individuals who did not have time to give offspring are suitable for fishing. The meat of such crabs is considered very tender. It is a delicacy everywhere. Unfortunately, the capture of these arthropods affects the reduction of their population.

And now for the adults. Due to the fact that their diet consists of shellfish, carrion and everything that is at great depths, the meat of such spider crabs acquires a bitter taste. Therefore, it is not suitable for gastronomic purposes. If such a copy gets into the net of fishermen, then it is sold to a terrarium or a water park to the delight of visitors.

Record crab

Most recently, a huge specimen of this arthropod species was caught. He was given the nickname Crab-Kong. The size of this instance in diameter is three meters. The distance between the claws exceeds 240 cm. But this crab will still grow. When he becomes an adult, he can easily ride a car.

Caught in fishing nets southwest of Tokyo, in the Suruga Bay area. Due to the fact that the gastronomic qualities of the meat of this animal are highly valued, initially the fishermen planned to make soup from it. However, the crab was lucky. The fishermen contacted Robin James, a biologist who recently visited their village.

Crab Kong is currently kept at the Weymouth Sea Life Park, which is located in English city Weysmouth. This fifteen-kilogram monster is the largest crab ever kept in captivity.

Crab Kong, which is a real miracle sea ​​depths, won't be in Weysmouth for long. After some time, it is planned to be transported to Munich and placed in the Sea Life center.

Despite the fact that this specimen is considered the largest of those kept in captivity, it is believed that the Japanese spider crab can reach such sizes when the distance between its claws exceeds three and a half meters.

A young spider crab can only grow if it sheds its hard outer shell. Under it is a soft inner one, which the arthropod must have time to inflate before hardening.

In the event that a crab is accidentally left without a leg, it will certainly grow a new one. Sometimes spider crabs are washed ashore by sea waves. If an animal is entangled in a dam between stones, then it will not be able to survive.