How big do coconut crabs get?

Coconut crabs are hermit crabs that live on land. They can grow to be three feet across, nearly one-and-a-half feet long, and weigh as much as nine pounds, making this the largest species of land crab on earth. Males are generally larger than their female counterparts, but not by much.

Is the coconut crab the biggest crab?

But the coconut crab is the largest crustacean that spends all its adult life on land, with a Guinness World Record to prove it. It’s also the biggest land-dwelling arthropod, the group of invertebrates that also includes insects, spiders and centipedes.

Is coconut crab good eating?

Its large size and the quality of its meat means that the coconut crab is extensively hunted and is very rare on islands with a human population. The coconut crab is eaten as a delicacy – and as an aphrodisiac – on various islands, and intensive hunting has threatened the species’ survival in some areas.

Do crabs scream when boiled alive?

Some say the hiss that sounds when crustaceans hit the boiling water is a scream (it’s not, they don’t have vocal cords). But lobsters and crabs may want to since a new report suggests that they could feel pain.

Can coconut crabs hurt you?

Coconut crabs don’t usually try to hurt people, but there have been exceptions. Humans are their only predators (aside from other coconut crabs), and when they’re targeted, they will strike back. In response, the crabs would strike — giving people the worst pinch of their lives.

What is the largest coconut crab?

The Coconut Crab is the largest land-crab in the world, with a diameter of around three feet and weight of over nine lbs. As you might have guessed, this giant crustacean loves coconuts. It climbs coconut-trees, crushes their fruit with its powerful pinchers and scrap out the inside.

What are some interesting facts about coconut crabs?

Here are five interesting facts about coconut crabs. Unlike many other species of crabs, the coconut crab can grow to over 40cm in body length and weigh up to nine pounds. Because of their enormous size, the coconut crab has an advantage over crabs and species such as spiders and scorpions regarding hunting for food.

What is the color of a giant coconut crab?

The coconut crab can be a variety of colors from red to purple to blue; color depends on what island it is from. Ad. For most of their lives, these crabs live along the coastlines of the islands they inhabit. During breeding season, crabs head into the jungle in order to mate.

Is a coconut crab edible?

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!