Spider Crab Whalefall - Monterey Bay Aquarium, California, USA

A model sperm whale skeleton lies on the seafloor of this tank, surrounded by the scavengers that would colonise a real whalefall in the deep ocean. Japanese spider crabs pick their way across the bones, their ten legs spanning up to 12 feet from claw to claw, while fish and invertebrates occupy every corner of the dimly lit scene.

Whalefalls are one of the more extraordinary ecological events in the ocean. A single whale carcass can sustain a specialised deep-sea community for decades, with different waves of scavengers arriving in sequence as the remains break down through bone, blubber, and finally to bare skeleton. This exhibit recreates that entire ecosystem in a single frame.

The spider crabs sit motionless for long stretches, which is not laziness but survival strategy. In the deep sea where food is scarce, conserving energy between meals is essential. The feed runs daily from 7am to 7pm Pacific time.

Did You Know? The Japanese spider crab is the largest arthropod on earth by leg span, capable of reaching 3.8 metres from claw tip to claw tip. Despite their alarming size, they are considered docile and are not known to be aggressive. They can also live for up to 100 years, making the individuals in this tank potentially older than most of the people watching them.

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