Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Spider Crab
Like other crabs, spider crabs are in the Class Crustacea. Their Family, Madijae, contains over 700 species of crabs. The common name "spider crab" refers to several species of spider crabs, which are found in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
Spider crabs have long legs, and spines on their legs and carapace. They are scavengers, eating dead sea stars and fish.
The deep sea spider crab (Macroregonia macrochira) shown here can inhabit depths over 9,000 feet, and doesn't exist in waters shallower than 3,000 feet. The deep sea spider crab's legs are thin and over 1.5 feet long. This crab species is found across the North Pacific Ocean, and was discovered in waters off Alaska for the first time in 2001.
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