Friday 10 July 2015

Thickclaw Porcelain Crab

Image: Rosario Beach Marine Laboratory
Because sometimes what you really need is one, massive claw.

Image: Robin Agarwal
The Thickclaw Porcelain Crab is a Porcelain Crab with one, great, big, thick claw. Plus one normal one.

You might remember that Porcelain Crabs aren't proper crabs at all. They're actually more closely related to Squat Lobsters (which aren't really lobsters). That's why they have two long antennae, which proper crabs don't, and appear to walk around on only six legs because the final pair are miniaturized and hidden away.

Image: Alison Young
Thickclaw Porcelain Crabs are really tiny. Their main body is just 2 cm (0.8 in) across at most...

Image: Scott Loarie
And their mightiest claw appears to be about the same size!

Most Porcelain Crabs are filter feeders and seem to only use their claws to fight with other Porcelain Crabs.

Image: Donna Pomeroy
Presumably that's also the case with Thickclaw variety. Both males and females are armed with a mega-claw and they can sometimes be found living in pairs, nestled together in holes or rocky crevices on the coast between Alaska and California.

Image: Donna Pomeroy
Armed but not dangerous.

3 comments:

TexWisGirl said...

tough looking one. :)

Crunchy said...

Anyone know where I can find a veterinarian? Because THIS PYTHON is SIIIIIICK *FLEX*

Joseph JG said...

@TexWisGirl: Strongarm Armstrong!

@Crunchy: Hahaha! If only they had another dumbbell!