It is thought that there are more than 6,000 species of crabs living on Earth. Crabs are decapod crustaceans. Some crabs thrive in the ocean, some in freshwater, and others on land. There are very small crabs that are so cute you hardly notice them, and there are also huge crabs that are bigger than a grown person. Yes––this is true.
There are different kinds of crabs that you are sure to see if you go to any beach. They are tenacious, resilient, and interesting. And. they are delicious to eat.
The Dungeness Crab, the King Crab, the Stone Crab, the Snow Crab, the Peekytoe Crab, the Horseshoe Crab, and the Blue Crab are the crabs that most people like to cook. That is not to say, however, that people don’t indulge in other types of crab. Technically, anything you catch, you can eat––unless it’s poisonous!.
Even though there are many kinds of crabs, this article will only talk about a few that stand out. These include the world’s largest crab and a few others.-
Crabs come in all shapes and sizes, from tiny pea crabs to giant Japanese spider crabs. But when it comes to the largest crab in the world, one species stands out above the rest – the Japanese spider crab.
The Japanese spider crab, known scientifically as Macrocheira kaempferi, is the largest species of crab in the world. These massive crustaceans are found in the waters around Japan and can grow to truly astounding sizes.
The leg span of a Japanese spider crab can reach over 13 feet, or 4 meters across. Their bodies can grow up to 16 inches wide and weigh up to 41 pounds. Just imagine coming across one of these giant crabs on the seafloor!
Japanese spider crabs get their name from their spindly, spider-like legs. They use their long legs to walk along the seafloor rather than swimming. Their bodies are also covered in spiky projections, helping them blend in among the rocks and coral.
These giant crabs are omnivores, feeding on algae, mollusks, and pretty much any dead animals they come across. They use their strong pincers to pry open shells and break apart food.
During the day, Japanese spider crabs tend to hide in holes and crevices to stay safe from predators. They become more active at night, emerging to search for food along the seafloor.
The Largest Japanese Spider Crab Ever Caught
The largest Japanese spider crab ever captured was nicknamed “Big Daddy”. This enormous crab had a leg span of over 10 feet and the longest leg measured nearly 5 feet long!
After being caught by fishermen, Big Daddy was eventually moved to an aquarium in England. He lived to the impressive age of 80 before passing away in 2016.
Other Contenders for World’s Largest Crab
While the Japanese spider crab holds the official title of largest crab species, there are a few other giants that come close:
Tasmanian Giant Crab
- Found off Southern Australia
- Can weigh over 20 pounds
- Claws up to 17 inches long
Coconut Crab
- Largest land crab in the world
- Up to 3 feet legspan
- Can climb trees and crack coconuts
Alaskan King Crab
- Legspan over 5 feet
- Up to 28 pounds
- Prized for its meat
Giant Mud Crab
- Found in Asia’s mangrove forests
- Up to 11 inch shell width
- Can weigh over 11 pounds
While not in the running for largest crab here are a few interesting small crabs
Pea Crab
- The world’s smallest crab
- Only a few millimeters long
- Often lives as a parasite inside oysters
Moss Crab
- Colorful small crab covered in algae
- Helps camouflage itself
Heart Crab
- Tiny crab named for heart-shaped shell
- Pearl white color
The Importance of Giant Crabs
Despite their fearsome appearance, giant crabs like the Japanese spider crab play important roles in their ocean ecosystems. As scavengers, they help clean up dead and decaying animals. Their feeding helps recycle nutrients back into the food chain.
As predators, they help keep populations of shellfish and smaller marine life under control And as prey themselves, giant crabs provide food for larger species like octopuses, fish, sea turtles, and even whales!
Protecting these magnificent giants is important to maintaining balance in ocean habitats. Conservation efforts aim to prevent overfishing of the largest crabs. Size regulations, harvest quotas, and marine protected areas all help ensure future generations can experience these king-sized crabs.
So while you may not want to come face-to-face with a 13-foot crab, these mammoths of the deep are vital residents of the sea. The Japanese spider crab fully deserves its title as the largest crab in the world!
The Japanese Spider Crab
This crab is considered the largest out of any species of crab. The Japanese spider crab is very interesting to look at, and if you happen to see one off the coast of Japan, you might get scared.
The Japanese spider crab is called taka-ashi-gani in Japan, which means “tall legs crags.”
According to National Geographic, they are one of the world’s largest arthropods, which is considered an animal with no backbone, external skeletons, and multiple-jointed appendages. And speaking of appendages, this big boy (or girl) has 10 spindly legs.
From claw to claw, this crab can grow up to 18 feet long, but most are between 12 and 14 feet long. It can also weigh up to 40 pounds. This crab is considered a “gentle giant,” much like a whale shark. It may look ferocious, but looks can be deceiving. Because they aren’t great hunters or predators, they mostly eat small animals, dead plants, and algae that are floating on the bottom of the ocean.
The Japanese spider crab doesn’t look like it would be easy to digest, but in Japan, it is a delicacy, just like Fathom Seafood’s tasty geoduck clams. Because it takes so much work to prepare this crab for a meal, it costs a lot. It will cost you between $100 and $500 to order Japanese spider crab at a restaurant, but not at Red Lobster!
Most likely, you won’t see one of these strange animals unless you are looking for one off the coast of Japan or in a fancy restaurant.
This one is almost as large and in charge as the Japanese spider crab. This crab is only 18 inches long, but it can weigh as much as 40 pounds! Think of it as the sumo wrestler of crabs. A lot of creepy crawlies come from Australia, and this one does too. It lives in the muddy bottom of the Southern Australian Ocean.
To find a huge Tasmanian giant crab, it is more likely to be a male because they are about twice as big as the females. Just don’t mess with a mama during mating season. Tasmanian giant crab females can carry anywhere from 500,000 to 2,000,000 eggs, and they will protect their young more than anyone else.
They are harvested and caught commercially to satisfy the hunger of people in the area and beyond, just like the Japanese spider crab.
To play with or eat as a snack, you can find this guy in Australia if you happen to be there.
Oh no, this crab is not one of the biggest. In fact, it is the smallest crab ever. The name of this tiny thing comes from the fact that it is only a few millimeters long, which is about the size of a pea. You can find the pea crab on both the Atlantic and Pacific coast in North America.
According to Scuba Diver Life, pea crabs are parasitic, meaning that they use other animals for survival, such as oysters or sea urchins, which provide them with safety, food, and oxygen. Sometimes people will find pea crabs living their best lives inside the gills of oysters. If you’re a regular oyster-eater, you might even find a live one scampering across your dinner plate one day. Yikes! What should you do with it if you find one? You might as well pop it straight into your mouth and eat it raw––it’s not like you can take it home as a pet.
Top 10 Largest Crabs In The World
FAQ
What is the world’s largest crab?
What is the biggest coconut crab in the world?
What is the largest king crab ever caught?
What is the 2nd largest crab?
What is the biggest crab in the world?
Either way, a steady diet can assist certain crab species in growing to incredible sizes. The biggest crab in the world, the Japanese spider crab, is capable of achieving a leg span of more than 13 feet (4 meters) across. Read on to get better acquainted with the Japanese spider crab, plus discover eight more of the largest crabs out there.
How much does a giant crab weigh?
The Tasmanian giant crab is one of the largest crabs in the world, reaching a mass of 17.6 kg (39 lb) and a carapace width of up to 46 cm (18 in). Among crabs, only the Japanese spider crab ( Macrocheira kaempferi) can weigh more.
What is the largest red king crab ever recorded?
The largest Red King Crab ever recorded was caught in the Bering Sea in 1977. It weighed 28 pounds and had a leg span of 5 feet. This is still an impressive size for a crab, but it falls short of the record held by the Giant Spider Crab. Despite this, Red King Crabs have been known to break records in other ways.
What is a Tasmanian giant crab?
The Tasmanian Giant Crab ( Pseudocarcinus genus) is one of the largest crabs in the world with a carapace width of up to 18 inches and a mass of up to 39 pounds. This giant lives in muddy bottoms off in the Southern Australian Ocean on the edge of the continental shelf.