The Crab from the Abyss

A rare species of deep-sea crab, normally found at depths of three kilometres, has been hauled up in the nets of a Cornish fisherman.

The giant box crab was caught 12 miles south of Falmouth at a depth of 45 fathoms (80 metres) by Mylor fisherman Arfee Treneer.

Believed to be Britain's largest crab species, the giant box crab can reach lengths of up to two metres.

It's only the sixth recorded specimen since records began in 1900 and one of the only ones to have survived being brought to the surface.

In a bizarre twist the last recorded specimen was also caught by Mr Treneer back in August 1988, close to the same area of the sea.

Despite having lost two legs on its long journey to the surface, the crab which is just under a metre in length appears in good health and is recovering in a specially chilled tank at the Blue Reef Aquarium in Newquay.

Blue Reef Aquarist, Matt Slater said, "I have to admit that we were stumped when we first saw it.  It's one of the oddest crabs I've ever seen.  It has these weird eyes on stalks which look like bicycle handlebars and a strange pair of backward facing pincers - we checked through every identification book we had on site but couldn't find what it was"

The crab was eventually formally identified with the help of well-known local zoologist Dr Paul Gainey.

"Apparently it's normally found very deep on the edge of the continental shelf which runs from Morocco to Ireland at depths of 3,000 metres," explained Matt.  "I'm not sure what's more amazing - the crab or the fact that the same fisherman has caught two specimens of this rare deep-water species nearly 16 years apart!"

The giant box crab will be on display to the public as part of Claws - Incredible Crustaceans - a celebration of crabs, lobsters and shrimps which runs at Blue Reef Aquarium, Newquay from June 12th - 20th.