Studies on the Crabs of Japan

The original “Mr. Crab” (“Kani-san” in Japanese), Tune Sakai was a pioneer in the research and description of the crustacea of Japan. When he began his research in 1932 at the University of Tokyo, there were no monographs on Japanese brachycura and only a smattering of research published in scientific journals. Studies on the crabs of Japan is Dr. Sakai’s magnum opus. Spanning five volumes, he describes 655 species, 255 genera, and 25 families, establishing a foundational knowledge of Japanese Decopoda Crustacea. Beyond the unprecedented amounts of information, Studies on the Crabs of Japan is richly illustrated with watercolor paintings by his wife, Shigeko. Now a part of the Mary J. Rathbun Crustacea Collection at the Museum Support Center Library, this original 1942 copy was given to Dr. Rathbun as a gift from Dr. Sakai.