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.