The giant Japanese spider crab and its internet-classic molting video from Enoshima Aquarium in Fujisawa, Japan. The time-lapse was shot over six hours and is pretty incredible. More about these amazing creatures:
The Japanese spider crab has the greatest leg span of any arthropod, reaching 3.8 metres (12 ft) from claw to claw. The body may grow to a size of 40 cm or 16 in (carapace width) and the whole crab can weigh up to 41 pounds (19 kg)… It is reported to have a gentle disposition “in spite of its ferocious appearance”.
TJapanese spider crabs are mostly found off the southern coasts of the Japanese island of Honshū, from Tokyo Bay to Kagoshima Prefecture… In its natural habitat, the Japanese spider crab feeds on shellfish and animal carcasses and may live for up to 100 years.
Watch this next: A molting blue crayfish.
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