Friday, February 13, 2009

Coconut Crab ----- Birgus Latro

Coconut Crab (Birgus latro) is the largest terrestrial arthropod in the world. It is known for its ability to crack coconuts with its strong pincers in order to eat the contents.
It is sometimes called the robber crab because some coconut crabs are rumored to steal shiny items such as pots and silverware from houses and tents.



The second photo gives you a good idea of how large these crabs are - a coconut crab is seeking food from a black trashcan.






COCONUT CRABS
The coconut crab is a large edible land crab related to the hermit crab, and are found in the tropical Indian and Pacific Oceans . They eat coconuts for a living! How would you like to be on an island and come across a crab that is more than 3 feet from head to tail and weighs up to 40 pounds, with a pair of large pincers strong enough to open coconuts! They can climb trees too, but they only eat coconuts that have already fallen to the ground. Coconut crab meat has been considered a delicacy.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Gees, it looks like something from a horror film....very creepy, glad I dont live there.

Baron's Life said...

Dave, apparently they're delicious..but you're right, wouldn't want to stumble into one of them at night

Belt Drive said...

That is one hideous creature. Why is it so many things that are considered delicacies are so ugly....

Donnie Smith said...

That would definitely scare me to walk upon one.

GMG said...

Wow! That's huge... ;)

Anonymous said...

MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!
I LOVE CRABS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
hgm
Where did you get this one?????

Lance said...

I'm glad we don't live where there are coconut crabs - I don't need another excuse from my kids to not take out the garbage!!!