10/17/2003: Happy crab

[Undertoad]

This was widely covered elsewhere and many of you have probably seen it, but it's SO IotD that I saved it off anyway and kept it for the first Friday not otherwise spoken for.

What you're looking at there is a crab, a little less than an inch in size. The happy face is actually a pattern on the crab, and when it left its shell behind and still had the markings, they knew it was the real deal.

An 8-year-old kid brought the crab to the Toba Aquarium in central Japan. He found it on a beach.

The crab is described as "Gaetice depressus" in all the official captions out there. As if it was some sort of scientific name. But when you think about it, "Gaetice depressus" describing a crab with a happy face?

PILATE: Centuwion, do we have anyone of that name in the gawwison?
CENTURION: Well, no, sir.
PILATE: Well, you sound vewy sure. Have you checked?
CENTURION: Well, no, sir. Umm, I think it's a joke, sir,... like, uh, 'Sillius Soddus' or... 'Biggus Dickus', sir.
GUARD #4: [chuckling]
PILATE: What's so... funny about 'Biggus Dickus'?
CENTURION: Well, it's a joke name, sir.
PILATE: I have a vewy gweat fwiend in Wome called 'Biggus Dickus'.
GUARD #4: [chuckling]
PILATE: Silence! What is all this insolence? You will find yourself in gladiator school vewy quickly with wotten behaviour like that.
BRIAN: Can I go now, sir? [slap] Aaah! Eh.
PILATE: Wait till Biggus Dickus hears of this.
GUARD #4: [chuckling]
PILATE: Wight! Take him away!