Heikegani
Sign in to saveis a species of crab native to Japan, with a shell that bears a pattern resembling a human face – an example of the phenomenon of pareidolia – which is interpreted to be the face of an angry samurai, hence the nickname samurai crab. The crabs are named after the once powerful Taira clan which dominated medieval Japan, commonly known as the Heike. It is believed that these crabs are reincarnations of the Heike warriors defeated at the naval Battle of Dan-no-ura as told in The Tale of the Heike. While the crabs are edible, they are not eaten by most Japanese.
Species
ヘイケガニ
Species
- PhylumArthropoda
- ClassMalacostraca
- OrderDecapoda
- FamilyDorippidae
Habitatmarine
via
Wikidata facts
- Instance of
- taxon
- Parent taxon
- Heikeopsis
- Image
- Heikegani.jpg
Show 3 more facts
- P105
- species
- P1552
- pareidolia
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Article
5 sectionsContents
- Origin of the carapace pattern
- Battle of Dan-no-ura
- Cultural references
- References
- External links
is a species of crab native to Japan, with a shell that bears a pattern resembling a human face – an example of the phenomenon of pareidolia – which is interpreted to be the face of an angry samurai, hence the nickname samurai crab. The crabs are named after the once powerful Taira clan which dominated medieval Japan, commonly known as the Heike. It is believed that these crabs are reincarnations of the Heike warriors defeated at the naval Battle of Dan-no-ura as told in The Tale of the Heike. While the crabs are edible, they are not eaten by most Japanese.
== Origin of the carapace pattern == thumb|left|upright=1.2|Heikegani with human-like faces depicted in an ukiyo-e print by [[Utagawa Kuniyoshi.]]