New Zealand’s North Taranaki beach has the world’s largest crab claw fossil. In 2008, amateur enthusiast Karl Raubenheimers discovered the species, which was later recognised as Pseudocarcinus karlraubenheimeri by Barry W. M. van Bakel and Àlex Ossó.
The study appeared in the New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics. About 8.8 million years ago, this claw was fossilised. The largest fossil crab claw ever found is embedded in rock, making its size difficult to determine.
The discovery is significant since the Miocene Urenui Formation of the Taranaki Basin has produced several fossil crab claws. An eruption of the adjacent Mohakatino Volcanic Centre 8.8 million years ago created optimal fossil preservation conditions.
The enormous deepwater crab, which is twice as huge as the extinct crab, is related to the new Pseudocarcinus species. One huge claw is the most distinguishing feature of the modern deepwater crab species.
The expert suggests that environmental factors like conflict with rivals or predators may have engaged natural selection to grow bigger crabs in the region. P. karlraubenheimeri‘s larger claw would help defend and gain access to gastropods and bivalves. This important discovery adds to New Zealand’s fossil record and highlights its coastal paleontological value. The references provide valuable information about past habitats and how crustaceans adapted to changing conditions, which guided the evolution of the prehistoric crab variety.
