Yunohana crab (Colorata - Deep Sea Creatures)

[bmathison1972]

Walk-around of the Yunohana crab, Gandalfus yunohana (Takeda, Hashimoto & Ohta, 2000) by Colorata, Deep Sea Creatures, No. 07 (2016). And if you are wondering, yes, the genus was created in honor of the Tolkien character. This crab is also found on hydrothermal vents on the eastern edge of the Philippine Sea Plate south of Japan, but it lives at shallower depths than Shinkaia crosnieri, at 420–1,380 m. Physical eyes are present but are immobile and unpigmented.

The figure itself is 25 mm across its carapace, making it 1:0.6 for an average male or 1:0.5 for an average female. It is a single piece of solid, well-made plastic (as are the other arthropods in the set--no assembly required) with a nice matte finish.

The figure comes with a dark blue-black base simulating rocks and a peg to which you can attach it. The accompanying peg is very long, so it can be cut to the desired length.

This is one of two 'unique' figures in the set, the other being the hyrothermal vent squat lobster, Shinkaia crosnieri. There are two other arthropods in the set (the ever-popular giant deep sea isopod and giant Japanese spider crab), as well as four cephalopods (giant squid, vampire squid, flapjack octopus, nautilus). The figures (at least the arthropods) have the common name, or Colorata, or the number in the series, or any combination thereof, on the bottom, depending on the size of the figure and what all can fit on it. The underside of the corresponding bases also have the common name of the organism and 'Colorata'.
This figure is a MUST for collectors of interesting or unique species, aquatic organisms, or general collectors (or heavily taxonomically-biased collectors like me ).

On to the pics!











Lastly I wanted to include this pic of it with the 'cave crab' from Safari LTD's Cave Dwellers TOOB. I am starting to wonder if Safari's crab was intended to be one of the hydrothermal vent crabs (even if not this exact species). Thoughts? It's possible Andre (or someone else) already proposed this idea but I cannot remember.

[stargatedalek]

I think, largely based on its claws, the Safari is intended to represent one of the Chiquibul Cave System crabs:
http://print.alvarezphotography.com/media/a6fb0536-0a04-11e0-9c38-f51f066a7bba-a-cave-adapted-crab-an-animal-unique-to-the-chiquibul-cave-sys

[bmathison1972]

I think, largely based on its claws, the Safari is intended to represent one of the Chiquibul Cave System crabs:
http://print.alvarezphotography.com/media/a6fb0536-0a04-11e0-9c38-f51f066a7bba-a-cave-adapted-crab-an-animal-unique-to-the-chiquibul-cave-sys

there are so many options, who's to say. Cerberusa caeca comes to mind as well, as do the crabs in the Calbiga system in the Philippines...

[bmathison1972]

I have re-uploaded these to Postimage

[Advicot]

What a good model. I can tell its male.