Japanese armour and minibeasts - section D
This red seaweed is known as Dulse (Palmaria palmate) and rows around the Atlantic. It is collected as food or for use as a herbal medicine. Read more here.
Velvet Swimming Crab (Necora puber), native to east Atlantic (South Norway to Mauritania), introduced to the western Mediterranean; known from lower shore down to about 80 m, chiefly on rocky substrates. Very aggressive. Sold for food. Read more here.
Left claw of the crayfish Astacopsis franklinii, native and endemic to western Tasmania; threatened by illegal hunting.
This is a Red Seaweed (Lithothamnion species) that builds a structure made from calcium carbonate (like limestone and snail shells). Read more here.
Blue Round Crab (Xantho hydrophilus), also known as Furrowed Crab, native to eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean; occurs on rocky bottoms at depth range 0-15m, usually sheltered under stones during the day. Live specimens have unique bluish coloration and reddish eyes. Read more here.
A freshwater crab of the genus Thelphusa, occuring in or on river banks in warm countries.
Inside its living fronds, this seaweed (Halmedia species) builds up calcium carbonate (as found in limestone and seashells). When alive it is green, but after being collected from the sea and dried out, what remains is this collection of small discs and threads. Read more here.
Ivory crab model with articulated legs. Japan, 19th century.
Manchester Museum.
A handguard (tsuba) for a Japanese sword (katana), circular in shape, with small crabs in coloured metals. Handguard protects the hand of the sword owner from sliding into the blade and from an attack by an enemy, also helps to balance the sword. Japan, 19th century. See video about trsuba here, and read more here.
Manchester Museum, 0.5501/3
Toxic Reef Crab (Zosimus aeneus) lives on coral reefs in the Indo-Pacific from East Africa to Hawaii (depth range 0-10 m); when alive it is brightly coloured. Both shell and meat of this crab are toxic (contain neurotoxins) and can cause death of humans if eaten. Read more here.
Xanthodius denticulatus, a member of Round Crabs (family Xanthidae).
Serrated Wrack (Fucus serratus) is a brown seaweed which grows around the Atlantic, including around the UK and is a common sight in rockpools.
Bronze crab model with articulated legs. Japan, 19th century.
Manchester Museum.
This red seaweed is known as Maerl (Lithothamnion glaciale). It grows in two ways, either as a thin red crust covering rocks and shells, or as a loose gravel. Read more here.
Undetermined crab species of the family Cancridae which is nearly cosmopolitan in distribution and include many of the best-known edible crabs.