E-Fauna BC: Electronic Atlas of the Wildlife of British Columbia

The Deep Sea Giant Spider Crab is one of three species of crabs described from vents in the eastern Pacific, including Explorer Ridge west of Vancouver Island. It is an extremely large species with an "anteriorly broadened carapace and markedly swollen dorsal surface" (Tunnicliffe and Jensen 1987).

This " large-clawed spider crab has legs about a half-meter long. That's big, but not unusual. Tanner crabs and king crabs have long legs, too. But the legs on this crab are really, really thin." (Stevens 2001).