Asahigani (Asahigani) - red frog crab

Japanese: アサヒガニ(旭蟹) - アサヒガニ（英語表記）red frog crab

This crab of the family Ranidae in the Crustacea class can reach a carapace length of 20 cm and has a beautiful orange-red color (illustration), from which it gets its name. The carapace is long, narrow at the back, and flattened dorsoventrally. The surface of the carapace is slightly curved from side to side, and is covered densely with long, flat granules, giving it a scaly appearance. The claws are large and flat, and the movable fingers are sickle-shaped. The phalanges of each walking leg are slightly different in shape and are all flat, but these are not used for swimming, but rather for burrowing into the sand as they retreat. The eye stalks are made up of three segments, and unlike other crabs, they extend and retract vertically, which is also an adaptation for living by burrowing into the sand.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

甲長20cmに達する甲殻綱アサヒガニ科のカニで，美しい橙赤色をしている（イラスト）。名もこれによる。甲は縦長で，後方が狭く，背腹に扁平。甲面は左右に弱く湾曲し，縦長の平たい顆粒（かりゆう）で密に覆われているためにうろこ状になっている。はさみ脚は大きく，平らで，可動指は鎌形。各歩脚の指節は少しずつ形が異なり，いずれも平らであるが，これらは泳ぐためのものではなく，後退しながら砂に潜るのに使われる。眼柄は3節からなり，他のカニ類と違って縦に出し入れするが，これも砂に潜って生活するための適応である。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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