Japanese spider crab
From CreationWiki, the encyclopedia of creation science
| Japanese spider crab |
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| Scientific Classification |
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| Binomial Name |
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Macrocheira kaempferi |
The Japanese spider crab lives on the bottom of the Pacific Ocean in water 300-400 m deep around Japan. It is the largest arthropod alive today. When this crab becomes fully grown it can reach leg span lengths of 4 m (13 ft). The body of the crab can reach lengths of 15 in, and the whole crab can weigh up to 44 pounds. This crab is the only known living species of the Macrocheira genus, and is referred to as a living fossil. 1
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Anatomy
The Japanese spider crab has an orange body with white spots covering its legs. The male's claws can reach a total of 3 meters when open. The shell that covers their body can become 30 cm in width and 40 cm long. They have two compound eyes situated at the front of their head and two horns sticking out between them. When these crabs are younger they have hair and horns on their shells and their horns in between the eyes are longer.1
Reproduction
The Japanese spider crab has separate sexes, like many other crustaceans. The males are larger and have bigger pinchers than the females. The males sperm is held in a spermatophore. The spermatophore is transferred to the female by the first and second abdominal appendages. After the eggs are fertilized the female carries them attached to her abdominal appendages, the eggs are cemented to these appendages. When they hatch they look nothing like their parents.1
Ecology
The Japanese spider crab lives only on the Pacific side of Japan. They will sometimes live at depths of 150-180 m, but they are mostly found at depths of 200-300 m. 3 During the spring they are also found as shallow as 50 m laying eggs. 2 They are also edible but are eaten rarely because there are so few.
Gallery
 A small Japanese spider crab |
 Another small Japanese spider crab against a glass |
 A Japanese spider crab in a tank |
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