Weird Animals – A List Of The World’s Strangest Species

Japanese Spider Crab
Japanese spider crab - the largest crustacean
Photo: Tsarli at English Wikipedia [CC BY-SA 3.0]
Scientific name: Macrocheira kaempferi

Type of animal: Crustacean

Family: Inachidae

Where found: Pacific Ocean

Conservation status: Unassessed

The Japanese spider crab is both the world’s largest crab and the second-heaviest arthropod. Its leg-span measures a huge 3.7 m (12.1 ft), and an individual can weigh from 16 to 20 kg. (The world's heaviest arthropod is the American lobster, Homarus americanus.)

This weird crustacean has long, spindly legs and a wide, flat body. It is primarily a scavenger, feeding on dead or decaying animals on the ocean floor. The species is known for its longevity, with some individuals living up to 100 years.

Japanese spider crabs are found in the seas around Japan.
Advertisements