Rare deep sea crab caught by Udupi fishermen

Udupi: Fishermen in Malpe caught Spanner crab, a rare variety of deep-sea crab, a native of Australia and Hawaiian coast.

Hundreds of onlookers were surprised to see the catch when it was brought to Malpe harbour by the fisherman Prashanth Kunder and others.

Assistant Professor at Karnataka University, PG Centre Department of Marine Biology, Karwar, Dr Shivakumar Haragi identified the crab as spanner crab and the scientific name of this crab is Ranina Ranina.

Ranina Ranina is mainly nocturnal as it remains active during the night and is found buried in sand during the day.It is easily distinguished from other crab species in its habitat due to its red carapace and elongated midsection.

Resembling a frog in its shape, this crab species is found mainly in Africa, Hawaiian coast and also in the Great Barrier Reef, located in the Coral Sea, off the coast of Queensland, Australia.

Its lifetime is seven to nine years and each crab weighs around 400-900 grams.