In 2008, Karl Raubenheimer, a fossil hunter, was exploring the area around his home in Taranaki, New Zealand, when suddenly he saw a large claw protruding from a rock. After careful observation, he realized that the claw contained a perfectly preserved large crab. Without hesitation, he decided to donate the discovery to the Te Papa Tongarewa Museum in New Zealand.

Reported in the Journal of Geology and Geophysics of New Zealand, a completely new species of crab was discovered by Raubenheimer, with two impressive findings. The fossil was named Pseudocarcinus karlraubenheimeri as a tribute to the discoverer, Karl Raubenheimer.

One of the research authors, Barry W. M. van Bakel, an expert in paleontology from the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands, revealed the success of finding the largest fossil crab ever discovered, an achievement that is highly interesting.

Fossil of a crab was found by Raubenheimer, which had a shell skeleton measuring eight inches, as well as a pair of large claws that were also eight inches long, as conveyed by Kate Evans from the American Scientific Magazine. This crab likely inhabited waters with depths of several hundred meters. The fossil crab likely died due to the eruption of the nearby Mohakatino Volcanic Center. At that time, the area was a place of volcanic activity with gases from underwater vents adding nutrients to the water.

Although the species P. karlraubenheimeri is extinct, its descendants are still alive to this day, namely Pseudocarcinus gigas, also known as the southern giant crab or Tasmanian giant crab, which is a modern relative of this ancient creature. In fact, the current crabs are even larger than P. karlraubenheimeri, with claws that can reach a length of up to 20 inches and weigh up to 37 pounds, equivalent to the weight of a human baby.