Macrocheira kaempferi

(Temminck, 1836)

Vernacular names

English : Japanese spider-crab
French : Crabe-araignée géant du Japon

Classification

Class : Malacostraca
Order : Decapoda
Family : Macrocheiridae
Notes : No subspecies known.

Identification

Largest known crab species, reaching a body length of 30 cm, a weight up to 20 kg and an armspan up to 3.50 meters. Spiny body. Coloration bright orange, underside being white. Males have larger chelipeds than females.

Range and habitat

The species occurs in north-western Pacific Ocean, only around Japan and occasionally south to Taiwan. Lives in sandy and rocky bottoms of continental shelf, down to 600 meters.

Conservation

IUCN RED LIST : NOT LISTED
CITES : Not listed
Status : The species’ status has yet to be assessed but it’s believed to be common in its small range. Global warming, if increasing, may become a problem.
Ex-Situ Programs : None known

Observation