Japanese spider crab
| Japanese spider crab | |
|---|---|
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Crustacea |
| Class: | Malacostraca |
| Order: | Decapoda |
| Infraorder: | Brachyura |
| Superfamily: | Majoidea |
| Family: | Inachidae |
| Genus: |
Macrocheira De Haan, 1839 |
| Species: | M. kaempferi |
| Binomial name | |
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Macrocheira kaempferi (Temminck, 1836) |
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| Synonyms | |
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| External identifiers for Macrocheira kaempferi | |
|---|---|
| Encyclopedia of Life | 3103113 |
| WoRMS | 346131 |
| Also found in: , ADW | |
The Japanese spider crab (タカアシガニ takaashigani?, lit. "tall-legged crab"), Macrocheira kaempferi, is a species of marine crab that lives in the waters around Japan. It has the largest leg span of any arthropod. It is the subject of small-scale fishery which has led to some conservation measures.
The Japanese spider crab has the greatest leg span of any arthropod, reaching 5.5 metres (18 ft) from claw to claw. The body may grow to a size of 40 cm or 16 in (carapace width) and the whole crab can weigh up to 19 kilograms (42 lb)—second only to the American lobster among all living arthropod species. The males have the longer chelipeds; females have much shorter chelipeds, which are shorter than the following pair of legs. Apart from its outstanding size, the Japanese spider crab differs from other crabs in a number of ways. The first pleopods of males are unusually twisted, and its larvae appear primitive. The crab is orange, with white spots along the legs. It is reported to have a gentle disposition, despite its ferocious appearance. The Japanese name for this species is taka-ashi-gani literally translating to “tall legs crab.” Their armored exoskeletons help protect them from larger predators such as octopuses, but giant spider crabs also use camouflage. The crab's bumpy carapace blends into the rocky ocean floor. To further the illusion, a spider crab will adorn its shell with sponges and other animals.
Japanese spider crabs are mostly found off the southern coasts of the Japanese island of Honshū, from Tokyo Bay to Kagoshima Prefecture. Outlying populations have been found in Iwate Prefecture and off Su-ao in Taiwan. Adults can be found at depths between 50 and 600 m (160 and 1,970 ft). They like to inhabit vents and holes in the deeper parts of the ocean. The temperature preference of adults is unknown, but the species is regular at a depth of 300 m (980 ft) in Suruga Bay where the water generally is about 10 °C (50 °F). Based on results from public aquariums, Japanese spider crabs tolerate between 6 and 16 °C (43 and 61 °F), but most are maintained at 10–13 °C (50–55 °F).
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Wikipedia