Is the coconut crab a crab?

A palm thief, or a coconut crab, is at all andnot a crab! His striking similarity with these arthropods also gave rise to this name. In reality, it is a land hermit crab. Zoologists classify him as a decadent crayfish. About him and talk.

Coconut crab - who is he?

In fact, call this arthropodI can not turn my tongue out on the ground. The fact is that exactly half his life he spends in the water ... Yes, friends! This creation is very peculiar to the sea element! Even to the light, cricket kids appear in the water. They will be discussed further on.

Beginning of life...

Childhood

At the very beginning of their lives, these are tiny anddefenseless crustaceans. Their soft body needs urgent protection: the crustaceans with a business view creep along the bottom and are looking for some reliable "house". This can be a nut shell, and someone else's shell.

Adolescence

A little later, the kids are selected on land usingthose or other terrestrial seashells. There is a future coconut crab with strangers "armor" until his abdomen becomes harder. Then comes the moulting process. At this time, our palm thief repeatedly changes his shell.

Youth

The final stage of the formation of land canceris the acquisition of the final appearance: the tail disappears under the abdomen, thereby protecting it from potential damage. Look at the look of the adult crab in the photo.

Coconut crab in its "element"

The life of palm thieves goes side by side with coconuts that have split at the fall from a palm tree. This is their main power source.

That's why he's coconut! Of course, this arthropod is not averse to eating any other food: plants, roots and even their own kind. Interestingly, the coconut crab is a peace-loving and friendly creature!

Doubling

The sense of smell in this arthropod is also developedas in insects. This is its difference from real crabs, which have no sense of smell. This feature evolved during the evolution, when land crayfish emerged from the water. Interestingly, the coconut crab has two "breathing tools" at once: lungs that are ventilated by air on land, and gills, with which it can breathe under water. However, evolution does not stand still. Zoologists believe that the coconut crab soon will completely lose the gills, because this species of decapod crust completely passes to the terrestrial way of life.

Habitat

If you want to get to know our palm thief more closely, then you need to go to the tropics - that's where coconut crabs are found. These are the islands of the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

By the way, keep in mind that in the daytime they will not beso it's easy to find out, because these thieves are leading a nocturnal lifestyle. In the afternoon they hide in crevices of rocks, in sandy holes. Also, do not be surprised at its appearance: it is a very large cancer up to 40 centimeters in length with a weight of 4 kilograms! In addition, they are quite powerful creatures.

Delicacy

The meat of this land cancer is recognized as delicate and refers to the so-called aphrodisiacs. That is why the coconut crabs are very active hunting on the part of man.