Coconut Crab - The Largest Land Arthropod in the World
Coconut Crab (Birgus latro) (aka Robber Crab) is the
largest land-living arthropod in the World. The enormous crab with large legs
and big claws grows to a gigantic body length of up to 40 cm. (16 inch) with a leg span of
about one metre (3.28 feet) and weighs up to 4 kg (8.82 pounds). Charles Darwin
who had encountered these crabs on Keeling Islands described these crabs as
monstrous. (Source:
Charles Darwin's Zoology Notes – PP 311 Keeling Islands April 1836).
These crabs are generally found in the various Islands in the
Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean especially those with lesser human population and
higher availability of coconut trees. Their largest concentration is reportedly
in the Christmas Island in Indian Ocean. Although Christmas Island is famous for
its Red Crabs with a
population of more than 40 million, it is estimated that population of these
crabs on the Christmas Island may be around 100,000.
Its meat which tastes like a lobster is considered a
delicacy. In addition to being hunted for food, quite a lot of these monstrous
crabs are also killed in road accidents, especially in Christmas Islands, where several hundred crabs are run over each year by
vehicular traffic. Although not yet on the protected species list, but in some regions/Islands
it has been put on the threatened list.
The crabs normally avoid contact with human habitat and do
not pose a danger to humans but reportedly when threatened, they sometimes do
retaliate in self-defence.
Main diet of these crabs is fruits, nuts, seeds, and the pith of fallen tree,
however these crabs love to eat the flesh of coconut, hence their name. They
even climb coconut trees and break open coconut fruit with their strong claws.
Although their staple diet is fruits, nuts etc. but given a chance
these crabs eat dead flesh also. As
per the latest theory propounded by the researchers at 'The International Group
for Historic Aircraft Recovery' (TIGHAR) the flesh of famous lady pilot Amelia
Earhart and her navigator Fred Noonan, who went missing while on a
circumnavigational flight of the globe in 1937 and their wreckage was never
found, was probably eaten by giant Coconut Crabs
who also carted away some of their bones. (Source:
Discovery News - Earhart's Final Resting Place Believed Found).
Image from Wikimedia Commons is by Mila Zinkova (Location: Bora-Bora)
Image from Flickr is by fearlessRich (Location: Niue, S. Pacific)
Image from Flickr is by BlueBec (Location: Christmas Island)
Image from Flickr is by John Tann (Location: Christmas Island)
Image from Flickr is by BlueBec (Location: Christmas Island)
Image from Flickr is by Drew Avery (Location: Diego Garcia)
View location of Christmas Island where they reportedly have largest presence:
Google Earth / Google Maps
Main source of info and more info: Wikipedia / arkive.org
Credits: I am thankful to Daniel Gayle for bringing to my knowledge these
amazing crabs - Thank you Daniel.
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