It is a species that occurs in the deep waters of the Pacific Ocean, being relatively abundant in Japan, where it is the object of commercial fishing. Adults are distributed up to 400 m deep, with the majority between 50 m and 200 m deep. Adults are omnivores, feeding on organic matter of animals and vegetables. Sometimes they act like scavengers, consuming dead animals. Considered the largest arthropod on the planet, it reaches up to 4.0 meters with its legs outstretched, and can weigh up to 13.6 kg.