Malacostraca |
Decapoda |
Majidae
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Benthic; depth range 50 - 400 m (Ref. 99853), usually 50 - 200 m (Ref. 99852). Subtropical
Northwest Pacific: Japan and Taiwan.
Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm Max length : 30.0 cm CW male/unsexed; (Ref. 343); max. published weight: 13.6 kg (Ref. 99323)
Largest crab in the world. Leg span may measure up to 3.7 m and weight may exceed more than 13.6 kg (Ref. 99323).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Copulation is evident. Life cycle: first stage zoeal larvae moults in 9-12 days after hatching; second stage zoeae moults in 12-14 days after the first moulting, entering the megalopa stage.
Tanase, H. 1967 Preliminary notes on the zoea and megalopa of the giant spider crab, Macrocheira kaempferi de Haan. Publ. Seto Mar. Biol. Lab. XV(4):303-309. (Ref. 99852)
IUCN Red List Status
(Ref. 130435: Version 2025-1)
CITES status (Ref. 108899)
Not Evaluated
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
| FishSource |
Tools
More information
Trophic EcologyFood items (preys)
Diet composition
Food consumption
Predators
Population dynamicsGrowthMax. ages / sizesLength-weight rel.Length-length rel.Length-frequenciesMass conversionAbundance Life cycleReproductionMaturityFecunditySpawningEggsEgg developmentLarvae PhysiologyOxygen consumption
Human RelatedStamps, coins, misc.
Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature
(Ref.
115969): 9.8 - 23.2, mean 18.8 (based on 142 cells).
Fishing Vulnerability
Low vulnerability (20 of 100).