Great spider crab
The great spider crab, Hyas araneus, is a species of crab found in northeast Atlantic waters and the North Sea, usually below the tidal zone.[1]
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| Species: | H. araneus |
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| Hyas araneus | |
In 1986, two specimens were captured at the South Shetland Islands off the Antarctic Peninsula, apparently transported by human agency.[2] It has been feared that the species would have an adverse effect on the native fauna, but there have been no further captures from the region since the 1986 specimens.[3]
The great spider crab can moult and get rid of their outer shell/skin. This can take some time but it lets them grow to great size. After they moult they are very vulnerable to predators because of a very soft exoskeleton.
References
- Kåre Telnes. "Great spider crab". The Marine Fauna Gallery of Norway. Archived from the original on 2007-09-28. Retrieved 2007-06-28.
- Marcos Tavares & Gustavo A. D. de Melo (2004). "Discovery of the first known benthic invasive species in the Southern Ocean: the North Atlantic spider crab Hyas araneus found in the Antarctic Peninsula". Antarctic Science. 16 (2): 129–131. doi:10.1017/S0954102004001877.
- H.J. Griffiths; R.J. Whittle; S.J. Roberts; M. Belchier; K. Linse (2013). "Antarctic Crabs: Invasive or Endurance?". PLOS ONE. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0066981. PMC 3700924. PMID 23843974.
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