Sienna Tohar Week 1- Nightmare Fuel or Fascinating Creature?

    Lately in quarantine, I find myself falling down these mental rabbit holes. Of course, there are good times where I end up getting lost in some dreamy reveries, but alas, the good cannot exist without the bad, can it? I tend to overthink, and being at home for so long doesn't seem to help (in fact, being in quarantine obviously contributes to overthinking, but that goes without saying). These days, I'm wondering what it is about staying home that makes me wonder about so many things if I'm always kept busy with work or hobbies. Anyway, these thoughts usually come to me in strange and vulnerable situations, like in my bed when I'm trying to sleep, in the shower, even when I do dishes or clean around my room! 

    Well, the other day I was spiraling in thought when it came to me, uninvited, unwelcomed, and bombarded my perfectly fine afternoon. The Japanese Spider Crab. I had heard of it years ago, seen photos of it, and attempted to banish it from my mind since, but of course, like many things during this quarantine, it came lurking right back. I decided that since I'm reminded of it again, I might as well look into it and learn something new. 

    So, according to the Smithsonian Institution and Georgia Aquarium, these creatures have a leg span of thirteen feet and can weigh about 40 pounds. They also have a lifespan of 1oo years. That's the longest life span of any crab out there! Their legs, however, are rather weak, posing as a major disadvantage since they can break so easily. Something I thought was interesting was that they often "decorate" their shells by using objects like kelp or pieces of sponge to camouflage themselves from predators. They're also omnivores. 

    Now, I don't have anything against crabs, but these specific ones are kind of terrifying to me and I'm so relieved that it's unlikely I'll ever see one in real life (by chance). At first, I wondered about how sometimes, ignorance truly is bliss, however, I do think that it's pretty amazing that things like this exist, despite how scary they seem to me. It makes me wonder what other creatures are out there that I don't know about. So, what kind of strange thoughts do you have? If given the chance to see a Japanese Spider Crab in your life, would you? Would you find it scary or exciting? Until next time!

sources

https://www.georgiaaquarium.org/animal/japanese-spider-crab/

https://ocean.si.edu/ocean-life/invertebrates/japanese-spider-crab