Weymouth welcomes giant Japanese spider crab

The crab was caught by fishermen in Suruga Bay, southwest of Tokyo

15 February 2011

A Japanese spider crab believed to be the biggest seen in Britain has gone on display.

Named Crab Kong, he has a claw span of more than 8ft (2.4m), weighs 15kg (33lb) and is 30-40 years old.

The male spider crab was caught earlier this month by fishermen in Suruga Bay, south west of Tokyo.

The crab is on display at the Weymouth Sea Life Park but will be transferred to a permanent home at a Sea Life centre in Munich, Germany, at Easter.

The crabs are commonly found in the Pacific in 1,000 ft (300m) deep waters but have
been known to live deeper.

Sea Life biologist Robin James, who visited that part of Japan, was contacted by the fishermen.

"Getting in an animal as impressive as Crab Kong is the aquarium equivalent of signing Ronaldo.

"Giving people a chance to witness first hand one of the many wonders of the deep oceans helps boost support for marine conservation," he said.

In the wild, Japanese spider crabs can achieve a leg-span of over 12ft (3.7m). They can weigh as much as 19kg (41lb) and may live 100 years.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-12462694
(Via Dark Dorset)

St. Augustine's Monster Mystery

Cryptozoologist Sheds Light On Monster Stories

POSTED: Friday, January 7, 2011

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. -- The story goes that two boys were playing on the shore of Anastasia Island in 1896 when they noticed a huge carcass on the beach.

That carcass became known as the St. Augustine Monster. On Friday night, cryptozoologist, Loren Coleman came into town to share stories of the monster at Ripley's Believe it or Not Museum.

Coleman has been studying to figure out what really washed up on St. Augustine's shore all of those years ago.

"It could have been a giant octopus, so the mystery increased," said Coleman. Coleman said he's surprised that not many tourists head to St. Augustine in search for answers to the mystery monster.

Video: St. Augustine Monster?

There are still some jars of tissue from the "monster" on display at the Smithsonian. A few years ago a similar blob washed up in Chile and scientists determined the "monster" there was a decomposing sperm whale.

"It is what happens when they decay," said Coleman. "When they decay and come ashore, they change their form so much so that they fool people and people think that they're some kind of monster."

http://www.news4jax.com/news/26407926/detail.html

St. Augustine's Monster Mystery

Cryptozoologist Sheds Light On Monster Stories

POSTED: Friday, January 7, 2011

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. -- The story goes that two boys were playing on the shore of Anastasia Island in 1896 when they noticed a huge carcass on the beach.

That carcass became known as the St. Augustine Monster. On Friday night, cryptozoologist, Loren Coleman came into town to share stories of the monster at Ripley's Believe it or Not Museum.

Coleman has been studying to figure out what really washed up on St. Augustine's shore all of those years ago.

"It could have been a giant octopus, so the mystery increased," said Coleman. Coleman said he's surprised that not many tourists head to St. Augustine in search for answers to the mystery monster.

Video: St. Augustine Monster?

There are still some jars of tissue from the "monster" on display at the Smithsonian. A few years ago a similar blob washed up in Chile and scientists determined the "monster" there was a decomposing sperm whale.

"It is what happens when they decay," said Coleman. "When they decay and come ashore, they change their form so much so that they fool people and people think that they're some kind of monster."

http://www.news4jax.com/news/26407926/detail.html