Claw...what a whopper!
Giant spider-like crab emerges from deep into fisherman’s net
A SPIDER-LIKE giant box crab with a leg span of 6ft has been found alive after wandering into the nets of a fisherman.
The monster creature normally lives down nearly two miles below the surface in the depths of the Porcupine Trough.
However, it was hauled on board the Culin boat this week by Kerry fisherman Gary Brosnan.
The extremely rare species, which is now residing in a cold water tank in Dingle Oceanworld, has been nicknamed Arachnid due to its resemblance to a giant spider. It is understood he is only the 10th of his kind of have been brought up in fishing nets in
Ireland.
Dingle Oceanworld director Kevin Flannery said the crab is settling in at the aquarium.
He added: “It’s still alive. He will be kept in the aquarium. It’s the only one in the country. They are very rare. He’s all arms.
“We’re nicknaming him Arachnid because he looks quite like a spider.”
Mr Flannery said the crab, which is also being cared for by leading marine biologist Dr Grace Flannery, is displaying its quirky habit of trying to hide itself using seaweed.
He added: “They have an unusual trait of getting weeds up on their two back legs so they camouflage themselves.
“It’s something they developed down in nature in the deep.”
The leading marine biologist said crabs which measure the length of a human are very rare in Ireland.
He added: “To see anything this size is extremely unusual.
I’ve only seen a few of them in my lifetime.”
Mr Flannery said the massive specimen was hauled in off Sybil Head southwest of the Blasket Islands and could have wandered off course during mating season.
He added: “Hopefully the poor divil will survive.”