Japanese crab spider. Giant Japanese Crab

Crabs are referred to the class Higher Crayfish, typeArthropods, detachment Desyatinohie crustaceans. Meet these animals on our planet everywhere. Crabs have five pairs of limbs. The first of them has long been turned into quite powerful claws. The size of these animals depends on the species. Usually, the width of the armor of the arthropod varies from two to thirty centimeters.

Variety of species

On the European coasts are most commonland crabs. They can be found on the rim band with soft ground. There also lives a crab-finch. In this animal, the last pair of limbs are small blades. Crabs of this species are excellent swimmers. They get their food in the water. The closest relative of these two species is the Chinese crab. The spider, it's a giant crab, lives near the Japanese islands in the waters of the Pacific Ocean.

The largest arthropod

Japanese crab spider belongs to the family Majidae. The scientific name of the arthropod in Latin is Macrocheira kaempferi. His crab was given in honor of Engelbert Kempfer - a German naturalist and traveler. This crustacean was first described in 1836 by Conrad Jacob Temminck, a Dutch zoologist.

Japanese spider crab (see photo below) is the largest of all arthropods.

The largest specimens of this type of crab havelength of carapace to forty-five centimeters. In doing so, they are owners of fairly long legs. It should be said that the sweep of the first pair can reach three meters. This crab is equipped with forty-centimeter claws. They serve for arthropods as powerful weapons. There are individuals whose maximum body length with legs reaches four meters.

The chest and head of the Japanese crab are covered with a short andflat carapace, ending with a sharp rostrum. 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 depth of the ocean, there is a high pressure created by the water column. However, the shell of the giant crab is protected from indentation by a layer of strong chitin.

The joints of the animal's legs are arranged in a special way. They allow him to move only sideways. The cartilage surfaces in the joint are very smooth. This greatly reduces friction.

Japanese spider crab is an arthropod, which has an orange body. His feet 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

Japanese spider crab performs on the ocean floor the same work as the bird vulture on land. It feeds on the skeletons of dead animals, mollusks and plants.

It is believed that living this arthropod canup to a hundred years. Find specimens of this species at a depth of one hundred and fifty to eight hundred meters. With approach of spring 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 a kind. In this period there is a ban on their catching.

During spawning, one female may delayone and a half million eggs. However, only a small number of them can survive to reproductive age. On predatory small crabs predatory inhabitants of the ocean hunt. Those individuals that are larger, become the prey of man. The Japanese spider crab is capable of reproducing offspring from the age of ten.

Eating

Crab meat is recommended for dietary nutrition. It contains a small amount of carbohydrates and harmful fats. In addition, crab meat has a pleasant taste and is easily digested.

This delicacy can not be better.suitable for those who want to get rid of extra pounds. In this process, coarse fibers, which are found in large quantities in crabmeat, help. The product is rich in taurine, iodine, vitamins and many other useful elements for human health.

The giant Japanese crab is often caught infood purposes. Only young individuals are suitable for the fishery, which did not have time to give offspring. The meat of such crabs is considered very delicate. It is a delicacy everywhere. Unfortunately, the catch of these arthropods affects the reduction of their population.

And now as for adults. Due to the fact that their food consists of shellfish, everything that is at great depths also fell, the meat of such spider crabs gets a bitter taste. Therefore, for gastronomic purposes it is not suitable. If in the fishermen's network such a specimen falls, then it is sold to a terrarium or a water park for the joy of visitors.

Crab-record holder

Just recently a huge specimen was caughtthis species of arthropods. He was given the nickname Crab-Kong. The size of this specimen is three meters across. 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.

The spider-crab caught in the fishing netssouth-west of Tokyo, in the Suruga Bay area. In connection with the fact that the gastronomic quality of the meat of this animal is very much appreciated, originally the fishermen planned to cook soup from it. However, the crab was lucky. Fishermen contacted Robin James, a biologist who had recently visited their village.

Currently, Crab-Kong is contained in the marineZoo Weymouth Sea Life Park, which is located in the English city of Wesmouth. This fifteen kilogram monster is the largest crab ever kept in captivity.

Crab-Kong, which is a real miracle of the depths of the sea, will not last long in Wesmouth. After some time it is planned to transport it to Munich and place it in the center of "Sea Life".

Despite the fact that this copy is considered the mostthe largest of those that are kept in captivity, believe that the Japanese spider crab can reach such dimensions when the distance between its claws exceeds three and a half meters.

Interesting Facts

A young specimen of a spider crab can grow only inIf the outer hard shell is dropped. Under it is a soft inner, which the arthropod should be able to inflate before hardening.

In the case when the crab accidentally remains withoutlegs, he always grows a new one. Sometimes a spider crab on the shore throws out a sea wave. If the animal is entangled in the dam between the stones, then it will not survive.