Coconut Crab

The coconut crab is a terrestrial hermit crab found on tropical islands across the Indian and Pacific oceans. Recognisable by its robust, reddish-brown carapace and powerful claws, it is the largest living terrestrial arthropod. Divers encounter them on or near shore, particularly around dusk; they are nocturnal foragers that climb palm trees to feed on fruit and coconuts, using their formidable strength to crack open shells. Despite their name, they spend most of their adult life on land rather than in water.