Jacquinotia

Jacquinotia is a genus of spider crab that contains one species, Jacquinotia edwardsii.^[2] J. edwardsii is the largest crab in New Zealand and is commonly known as the southern spider crab or the giant spider crab.^[3][4][5]

Jacquinotia Temporal range: Late Pliocene–Recent PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Malacostraca
Order:	Decapoda
Suborder:	Pleocyemata
Infraorder:	Brachyura
Family:	Majidae
Genus:	Jacquinotia Rathbun, 1915
Species:	J. edwardsii
Binomial name
Jacquinotia edwardsii (Jacquinot in Jacquinot & Lucas, 1853)[1]

Description

Jacquinotia edwardsii has a rough, triangular-knobbed shape carapace, which is dirty white in colour. Males are much larger than females and reach a legspan of up to 100 cm (39 in) and a carapace length up to 20 cm (7.9 in).^[5]

Distribution

Jacquinotia edwardsii is found in southern New Zealand, from Mernoo Gap to the Campbell Islands, in the intertidal zone and to a depth of 500 m (1,600 ft).^[5] Fossils have been found from the late Pleistocene to the early Pliocene which are referable to J. edwardsii or – for the oldest known specimen – very similar.^[6]

Ecology

The maturity size for males is about 110 mm (4.3 in), and 100 mm (3.9 in) for females, but the age for the southern spider crabs are unknown. The larvae start between September and November. Males may consume other shells, while females are detritivores.^[5] Jacquinotia edwardsii is commercially fished.^[5]