The largest crab in the world is the spider crab (scientifically “ Macrocheira kaempferi"). This interesting creature belongs to the class “higher crayfish,” which includes fairly large animals such as crayfish, crabs, and woodlice. The spider crab belongs to the order of decapods.
Macrocheira kaempferi was named so not by chance, since it was studied by the German biologist Engelberg Kampfer back in 1727. Since then, this amazing creature has become known to scientists from all over the world.
The first mentions of this animal are found in ancient Japanese culture. The spider crab got its name due to the fact that it is incredibly similar to this insect.
The size of the animal is amazing. The diameter of its shell can reach one and a half meters, and the length of its straightened limbs is up to four meters. As for the claws, in some males their size can exceed 40 centimeters. Weight adult reaches 20 kilograms. The main habitat is water Sea of Japan near the islands of Kyushu and Honshu. The crab lives at a depth not exceeding 400 meters.
At the age of ten years the animal reaches sexual maturity. During maturation, the crab lives on great depth, being easy prey for many sea predators. This incredible creation Moreover, it is constantly under attack from poachers. Because of this, there is a sharp decline in the population of these wonderful animals, which need protection to prevent their complete extinction.
An interesting discovery was made off the coast of Australia, where a huge crab weighing 6.8 kg was discovered, which is not related to arachnids. Its width was 38 centimeters. On this moment This crab was caught only in a single copy.
Newly discovered biological species called the Tasmanian king crab. Naturally, the largest crab in the world has become the object of desire of many organizations. As a result, the British Sea Life Aquarium purchased this specimen for $5,000.
As a result of comparison, this crab turned out to be ten times larger than its fellows. The aquarium refused to give the magnificent animal to the chefs. Tasmanian king crab is now a tourist attraction. Knowing what they are Marine life live up to 20 years, it can be assumed that the crab will for a long time delight visitors to the ocean museum.
Crabs belong to the class Higher crayfish, phylum Arthropods, order You can meet these animals everywhere on our planet. Crabs have five pairs of limbs. The first of them has long ago turned into quite powerful claws. The sizes of these animals depend on the species. Typically, the width of an arthropod's shell varies from two to thirty centimeters.
Variety of species
Land crabs are the most common species on European coasts. They can be found on the surf strip with soft soil. The swimming crab also lives there. In this animal, the last pair of limbs are small lobes. Crabs of this species - excellent swimmers. They get their food in the water. The closest relative of these two species is the Chinese crab. The spider, also known as a giant crab, lives not far from Japanese Islands in the waters of the Pacific Ocean.
The largest arthropod
The Japanese spider crab belongs to the Majidae family. Scientific name arthropod on Latin- Macrocheira kaempferi. His crab was named after Engelbert Kaempfer, a German naturalist and traveler. This crustacean was first described in 1836 by Conrad Jacob Temminck, a Dutch zoologist.
The Japanese spider crab (see photo below) is the largest of all arthropods.
The largest individuals of this type of crab have a carapace length of up to forty-five centimeters. At the same time, they are the owners of quite long legs. It should be said that the span of the first pair can reach three meters. This crab is equipped with forty-centimeter claws. They serve arthropods powerful weapon. There are individuals whose maximum body length including 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. The protection of the arthropod is provided by numerous spines and tubercles. They are located in the upper part of the carapace. The weight of these giants is often twenty kilograms.
At the depths of the ocean there is high pressure, created by the water column. However, the shell giant crab protected from indentation by a layer of durable chitin.
The joints of the animal's legs are designed in a special way. They only allow him to move sideways. The surfaces of the cartilage in the joint are very smooth. This significantly reduces friction.
Japanese spider crab - with an orange body. His legs are decorated with white spots. The crab's eyes are located on the front of the head. Two spikes stick out between them.
Nutrition and reproduction
The Japanese spider crab does 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, the 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, to live to see reproductive age maybe only a small number of them. Small crabs are hunted by predatory inhabitants of the ocean. Those larger individuals become prey for humans. To the reproduction of offspring japanese crab-Spider is capable from the age of ten.
Eating
This delicious product is perfect for those who want to get rid of extra pounds. Coarse fibers, which are found in large quantities in crab meat, help in this process. The product is rich in taurine, iodine, vitamins and many other elements beneficial to human health.
The Japanese giant crab is often caught for food purposes. Only young individuals that have not had time to give birth are suitable for fishing. The meat of such crabs is considered very tender. It is a delicacy everywhere. Unfortunately, catching these arthropods is causing their population to decline.
And now as for the adults. Due to the fact that their diet consists of shellfish, carrion and everything that is on enormous depth, the meat of such spider crabs acquires a bitter aftertaste. Therefore, it is not suitable for gastronomic purposes. If such a specimen gets caught in a fishermen's net, it is sold to a terrarium or water park to the delight of visitors.
Record crab
Quite recently, a huge specimen of this arthropod species was caught. He was given the nickname Crab-Kong. The size of this specimen 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 very highly valued, the fishermen initially planned to make soup from it. However, the crab was lucky. The fishermen contacted Robin James, a biologist who had recently visited their village.
Currently, Kong Crab is kept at the Weymouth Sea Life Park, which is located in the English city of Weysmouth. This fifteen-kilogram monster is the most big crab ever kept in captivity.
Crab Kong, which is a real miracle depths of the sea, will not be in Weysmouth for long. After some time, it is planned to transport it to Munich and place it 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 a size when the distance between its claws exceeds three and a half meters.
A young spider crab can only grow if it sheds its outer hard shell. Beneath it there is a soft internal 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 wash up on the shore sea wave. If an animal gets entangled in a dam between stones, it will not be able to survive.
The largest arthropod on the planet January 27th, 2017
Still think that crab is just an exquisite delicacy? How do you like the Japanese spider crab or giant crab (lat. Macrocheira kaempfer), whose body length together with paws is 4 meters? By the way, it is considered the largest representative of arthropods on our planet.
However, the giant crab is still eaten. True, for fishing they choose very young individuals who have not yet had time to give birth to offspring: their meat, you see, is tender and soft. Of course, this greatly affects total number Japanese crabs.
Let's find out more about them...
I saw this photo on the Internet a long time ago and assumed that it was some kind of photoshop or a stuffed animal
The Japanese spider crab is a species of crustacean from the infraorder of crabs (Brachyura). Its scientific Latin name Macrocheira kaempferi was named after the German traveler and naturalist Engelbert Kaempfer, who lived in Lemgo, Germany, and was described in 1836 by zoologist Conrad Jacob Temminck from Holland. This is one of the largest representatives of the world's arthropod fauna. 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 length of the body with legs reaches 4 m. The crab is equipped with very powerful weapons - 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 reproduction during oviposition 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 up to 100 years.
The Japanese spider crab is widely used for food, scientific and ornamental purposes, and is often kept in large aquariums. In the spring, during oviposition, crab fishing is completely prohibited. This is 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 fully established, therefore this genus is classified either in the family Inachidae or Majidae, or in an independent family Macrocheiridae Dana, 1851.
This very major representative arthropods can most easily be found around the islands of Honshu and Kyushu. Here, adult individuals are most often used as a very decorative and unusual animal for aquariums. These giants are truly exotic decorations for any interior. The size of this “monster” is truly amazing, since the Japanese spider crab, also called a giant crab (in English: Giant spider crab) with elongated limbs can reach 4 m! Moreover, 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 live at a fairly large depth where they most often feed on carrion (fish and shellfish), which over time gives the crab meat a bitter taste. Young crabs that 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 influences the reduction of their population. This is why Japanese spider crabs need protection, especially during oviposition in the spring when they gather in shallow water. During spawning, females lay about 1.5 million eggs, but only a small proportion of them survive to adulthood. The Japanese spider crab becomes sexually mature approximately when it reaches 10 years of age. Although average duration Their lifespan is 50 years, but sometimes there are specimens up to 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 spider crab got its name because there is an amazing similarity with the insect of the same name.
A record crab was recently caught. This huge crab has already received the nickname "Crab Kong" » , but it will still grow. The size of the giant crab reaches 3 meters in diameter, and when it becomes an adult, it will be able to ride a car.
The Japanese spider crab was caught in the Suraga Bay area southwest of Tokyo. The gastronomic qualities of spider crab are highly valued, and it was originally planned to make soup from it.
Luckily for the crab, the fishermen contacted biologist Robin James from Weymouth Sea Life, who visited the village just a few weeks ago.
And the 40-year-old crab, before he moved to permanent residence in Munich, is the central attraction of the Dorset theme park.
Weymouth Sea Life employees are confident that Crab Kong has “outdone” its 15kg predecessor Crabzilla ( 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 ostrostrum. Top part The carapace is equipped with numerous tubercles and spines that serve as protection. The weight of these terrible giants easily reaches 20 kg.
Interestingly, this species belongs to the order of decapods, and this is already one of the most famous units crustaceans. Our usual crayfish, who 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 one well-known representative genus Macrocheira, but there are reports of two fossil finds of its close relatives (†M. longirostra and †M. Teglandi). Who knows, maybe some interesting relative of the Japanese spider crab will be discovered at great depths.
Giant Crab in Blackpool | Source: Dave Thompson/PA
Senior Marine Curator Chris Brown prepares to relocate a Japanese spider crab called “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 van of vacationers. Luckily for us, he remains underwater.
There is high pressure at depth, but a layer of durable chitin protects the shell from being pressed in. The spider crab's leg joints are designed to allow it to move only sideways. Smooth cartilage surfaces reduce friction. Two muscles within each leg segment attach to rods in the next segment. One muscle flexes the joint, the second one straightens it again.
Did you know?
A young spider crab can only grow to adult size if it sheds its hard outer shell. The old shell is discarded, and underneath it a soft inner shell is revealed, which the crab inflates to large sizes before it hardens.
If a spider crab accidentally loses a leg, it grows a new one that gets longer with each molt.
Some species of spider crabs protect themselves by resting near sea anemones Snakelock, and are apparently immune to their burns. Having settled with its back to the central stem of the anemone, the crab is almost completely hidden from view by the tentacles of the anemone hanging over it.
Sometimes spider crabs find themselves washed ashore during the surf, in ponds between rocks, but they cannot survive out of the water.
One type of spider crab feeds on plankton. It hangs from the algae, grasping it with its hind legs, and with its massive claws “sifts” the water in search of edible pieces.
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 reproduction during oviposition 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 up to 100 years.
The Japanese spider crab is widely used for food, scientific and ornamental purposes, and is often kept in large aquariums. In the spring, during oviposition, crab fishing is completely prohibited. It is the only living species of the 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 fully established, therefore this genus is classified either in the family Inachidae or Majidae, or in an independent family Macrocheiridae Dana, 1851.
The Japanese spider crab, the largest representative of arthropods that inhabit the Pacific Ocean, can most easily be found in the area of the islands of Honshu and Kyushu. Here, adult individuals are most often used as a very decorative and unusual animal for aquariums. These giants are truly exotic decorations for any interior. The size of this “monster” is truly amazing, as it is a Japanese spider crab, also called a giant crab. Moreover, 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 live at a fairly large depth where they most often feed on carrion (fish and shellfish), which over time gives the crab meat a bitter taste. Young crabs that 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 influences the reduction of their population. This is why Japanese spider crabs need protection, especially during oviposition in the spring when they gather in shallow water. During spawning, females lay about 1.5 million eggs, but only a small proportion of them survive to adulthood. The Japanese spider crab becomes sexually mature approximately when it reaches 10 years of age. Although their average lifespan is 50 years, sometimes there are specimens up to a hundred years old.
The first biologist to publish a description of the amazing creature was the 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 spider crab got its name because there is an amazing similarity with the insect of the same name.
A record crab was recently caught. This huge crab has already received the nickname “Crab Kong”, but it will still grow. The size of the giant crab reaches 3 meters in diameter, and when it becomes an adult, it will be able to ride a car. The Japanese spider crab was caught in the Suraga Bay area southwest of Tokyo. The gastronomic qualities of spider crab are highly valued, and it was originally planned to make soup from it. Luckily for the crab, the fishermen contacted biologist Robin James from Weymouth Sea Life, who visited the village just a few weeks ago.
The 40-year-old crab, before moving permanently to Munich, is the centerpiece of an amusement park in Dorset. Weymouth Sea Life officials believe Crab Kong has "outdone" his 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 ostrostrum. The upper part of the carapace is equipped with numerous tubercles and spines that serve as protection. The weight of these terrible giants easily reaches 20 kg.
Interestingly, this species belongs to the order of decapods, and this is already one of the most famous orders of crustaceans. Our familiar crayfish, which has long become a character in many children's fairy tales, also belongs to this group. 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 fossil finds 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 discovered at great depths.
Senior Curator of Marine Animals Chris Brown prepares for the relocation of a Japanese spider crab called 'Big Daddy' to a new home 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 van of vacationers. Luckily for us, he remains underwater. There is high pressure at depth, but a layer of durable chitin protects the shell from being pressed in. The spider crab's leg joints are designed to allow it to move only sideways. Smooth cartilage surfaces reduce friction. Two muscles within each leg segment attach to rods in the next segment. One muscle flexes the joint, the second one straightens it again.
Did you know?
Recently, one of the British aquariums, located in the city of Weymouth, posted on its website a photo of the big crab in the world. Such a move caused considerable excitement, thanks to which the management of this establishment managed to make good money. However, a fierce dispute soon erupted online regarding whether such giants really live in the world or whether this is another hoax.
What do we know about crabs?
All crabs belong to the class crustaceans. You can meet them in all corners Globe, with the exception of the Arctic and Antarctic. All representatives of this species have five pairs of paws, with one of them ending in sharp claws. The size of a crab largely depends on what species it belongs to. Thus, the largest crab in the world has claws more than 3.5 meters long, and the smallest one itself was no more than 2 cm wide.
By the way, to date scientists have discovered over four hundred species of these animals living both in water and on land. Moreover, the researchers are sure: these are not all representatives of the huge family. Therefore, it is quite possible that brave adventurers will soon find another species of crab, which may be larger in size than all of its relatives.
But until this happens, let's look at it already known to science inhabitants of the seas. Let's find out which one deserves the title "The World's Largest Crab."
Large land crab
The name of this type of crustacean speaks for itself. True, for a Russian person his second name is more familiar - brown crab. He lives in the northern part Atlantic Ocean, and some of its representatives can be found even in the Mediterranean Sea. It has an oval body shape and a pair of medium-sized claws. The shell is in most cases brown or red-brown.
On average, adults grow up to 25 cm in length, which makes them good contenders for the title of the largest crab on the planet. Moreover, their weight can fluctuate between 3-3.5 kilograms. However, science knows cases when large land crab grew to much larger sizes.
Kamchatka crab
Although this species is similar to its relatives, according to scientists, its genetic trace is much closer to hermit crabs. Nevertheless, for a long time it was generally accepted that he was the largest crab in the world. This opinion existed due to the fact that many giants of this species were caught in fishermen’s nets, which later became living examples of their remarkable size.
For example, it is known that sea hunters They caught Kamchatka crabs whose weight reached 10 kilograms. True, similar cases today very rare. Thus, most adult individuals stop growing, reaching 20-25 cm in the width of the cephalothorax. Thus, their weight varies between 5-7 kilograms. And then, such sizes are characteristic only of males, since females are about 2-3 times smaller than them.
Japanese spider crab - the world's largest crab
To date, the title of winner goes to the Japanese spider crab. The size of this species is truly amazing in its scale. Just imagine: if you put this giant on flat surface, then the length from the end of one claw to the end of the other will be about 3.5-4 meters.
On average, the legs of the Japanese spider crab reach 40-50 cm in length. And its weight varies between 15-20 kg. Thus, we can safely say that this type is the winner in terms of the number of giant individuals.
The truth about the inhabitant of the Weymouth aquarium
As mentioned earlier, the world's largest crab, according to the owners of the aquarium, lives in the city of Weymouth. However, how did he get there and is he really the absolute record holder?
It all started when a family of fishermen caught a huge fish off the coast of Australia. Its weight was about 7 kilograms, and the length of its shell was 38 centimeters. Thus, it was one of the largest in the last decade.
After the huge inhabitant of the seas, he bought a famous aquarium. And thanks to its advertising, it became the most famous crab on the planet. True, it cannot be said with certainty that this is the largest representative of crustaceans caught by humans. He's just the only one who managed to become a real star.
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