Coconut Crab
Birgus latro
- Group: Crab
- Typical depth: 0–5 m
- Max size: 20 cm
- For divers: safe
- IUCN status: VU
The largest land living arthropod, the coconut crab climbs palms and roams oceanic islets and atolls well above the tide line. It scavenges and eats fruit, cracking hard nuts with claws strong enough to be felt by anyone who picks one up. Its flesh can be toxic to eat depending on what it has fed on, and it is listed as Vulnerable.
Taxonomy: Animalia › Arthropoda › Malacostraca › Decapoda › Coenobitidae › Birgus
Species data via the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS), AphiaID 208668.
FAQ
- How deep does the Coconut Crab live?
- The Coconut Crab (Birgus latro) is typically found at 0–5 m.
- Is the Coconut Crab dangerous to divers?
- The Coconut Crab is harmless to divers.
- How big does the Coconut Crab get?
- The Coconut Crab grows to about 20 cm.