Watch: Fascinating time lapse video shows how a Japanese spider crab sheds its shell
The whole process takes close to six hours to be completed.
This 30-second timelapse video shows the six-hour process of a Japanese spider crab shedding its shell pic.twitter.com/DrDusMm2tb
— Reuters India (@ReutersIndia) February 13, 2019
As the Japanese spider crab grows, it sheds its thick, protective exoskeleton, discarding it so it can grow larger. The process is fascinating to watch but lengthy, taking up to six hours. SeaWorld San Diego, however, recently released a time-lapse video of the processes, condensing it into 30 seconds.
In the video, shared by Reuters, a Japanese spider crab can be seen emerging, in a vivid shade of red, out of the shell it no longer needs.
The species of marine crab has the largest leg span among arthropods and can weigh up to 19 kg.