InsideJapan News Network
Friday,
12th
February
2010
In General Japan News,
In General Japan News,
Japanese spider crab heads for UK aquarium
A giant Japanese spider crab is set to become a feature at the National Sea Life Centre in Birmingham.
Measuring up to 15 feet, the crabs are native to Japan and have bodies the size of basketballs and legs which can allegedly straddle the roof of an average-sized car.
Pictures of the creature show it being held by Graham Burrows, curator of the Sea Life Centre, who noted that despite the crab's intimidating size, it is not aggressive.
"The Japanese Spider Crab is the largest known member of the arthropod family, which includes all invertebrates with jointed limbs. Crabzilla's front limbs are his feeding arms, each over five feet long and ending in sizeable claws," he said.
The crab was caught in the Pacific Ocean and will be living at the Birmingham Sea Life Centre until March this year, before being moved to Belgium.
In Japan, the crabs are considered a delicacy and are regularly eaten. They can live at depths of up to 2,500 feet.
Written by Graham McPherson.
Measuring up to 15 feet, the crabs are native to Japan and have bodies the size of basketballs and legs which can allegedly straddle the roof of an average-sized car.
Pictures of the creature show it being held by Graham Burrows, curator of the Sea Life Centre, who noted that despite the crab's intimidating size, it is not aggressive.
"The Japanese Spider Crab is the largest known member of the arthropod family, which includes all invertebrates with jointed limbs. Crabzilla's front limbs are his feeding arms, each over five feet long and ending in sizeable claws," he said.
The crab was caught in the Pacific Ocean and will be living at the Birmingham Sea Life Centre until March this year, before being moved to Belgium.
In Japan, the crabs are considered a delicacy and are regularly eaten. They can live at depths of up to 2,500 feet.
Written by Graham McPherson.
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