#chical

This weeks weirdo is considered by some to be a tasty treat! This week is...

The giant Japanese spider crab

The name is a great descriptor in this case. This crab is large with a leg span of 12 feet and body size of about 15 inches. This crab is Japanese - rages from the island of Konshu down to Taiwan. And unlike other sea creatures with misleading names, this crab is a crab, but it is not however a spider. I have heard them referred to as the daddy long legs of the ocean and I think that is an excellent way to think about it. In fact they are the largest known arthropod in existence today, and can live to be 100 years old!! The Japanese name is Taka-ashi-gani which roughly translates to “tall-leg-crab” another excellent descriptor. 

A fashionable weirdo

While the size of this weirdo is understandably off-putting, they are not a scary weirdo. They eat dead things in typical deep sea fashion, and they don’t move fast or often. Their legs are also delicate so it is not uncommon to see one missing 1 or 2 legs. They are a type a decorator crab, which means they like to decorate their body with whatever they can find! This usually includes sponges, algae, and even anemones! All of which will continue to grow on their back! Not only does this keep them fashion forward, but it keeps them camouflaged and safe from predators. This is more important when they are small but they keep it up as they larger. 

Conservation