Largest fossil crab claw ever discovered is 8 million years old

 

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An exceptional paleontological discovery has notably revealed a fossil claw belonging to a species of crab entirely new to science, dating from 8.8 million years ago. This astonishing find represents the largest fossil crab claw ever unearthed. Scientists believe that this colossal specimen could be the ancestor of the contemporary southern giant crab.


Revelation about the prehistoric ancestor of the southern giant crab

The remains of these prehistoric crabs were discovered on Waitoetoe Beach on New Zealand's North Island. The specimens come from the Late Miocene Urenui Formation (about 8.8 million years old) of the Taranaki Basin, in which a series of volcanoes from the Mohakatino Volcanic Center erupted offshore, leading to the formation of a specific paleoenvironment. The exceptional preservation of these fossils can be explained by their rapid burial under sediments , notably volcanic ash, before the decomposition ecosystem can act.


The team of researchers identified these fossilized crustaceans as a new species which they named Pseudocarcinus karlraubenheimeri , in honor of Karl Raubenheimer, the collector and donor of the specimen.


This astonishing discovery thus broadens our understanding of the genus Pseudocarcinus, to which the contemporary southern giant crab , P. gigas, belongs . The massive claw of P. karlraubenheimeri is about half the size of its modern descendant, which is one of the largest extant crabs with a claw reaching nearly half a meter.


Evolutionary advantages and a carnivorous diet

Scientists put forward the idea that the gigantism observed in pseudocarcinus crabs, which includes Pseudocarcinus karlraubenheimeri , confers significant competitive and defensive advantages . The presence of exceptionally large claws in these crabs indeed suggests an adaptation to a carnivorous diet where these appendages play an essential role in capturing and manipulating prey .


The evolution of claws in P. karlraubenheimeri is thought to be a response to the increase in available prey , notably gastropods and bivalves, in deep waters during the Late Cretaceous. This ecological context would have favored the development of more imposing claws, thus offering these crabs a selective advantage in competition for food and in their ability to defend themselves against predators.


In addition to its contribution to our knowledge of ancient ecosystems, this exceptional discovery also offers valuable information on the ancient habitat of these giant crabs. It indicates that they thrived in seabed gas seeps rich in CO2 and/or methane, which provided a warm and nutritious environment with an abundance of food.


Details of the study are published in the New Zealand Journal Of Geology And Geophysics .

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