Coconut crab. Coconut Crab or Palm Thief - the largest representative of arthropods coconut crab edible

09.05.2020

Seeing this amazing animal, all the nervous will work out of horror and surprise - after all, there is no one in the world interesting and, at the same time, terrible than coconut crab. In any case, among arthropods - after all, he is rightfully considered the largest representative.

Coconut crab has many other "names": for example, crab-thieves or palm thief - after all, this is a strange animal and tortured his prey. Travelers of past centuries that visited the islands spread in the West of the Pacific Ocean and in the Indian Ocean, say that coconut crab is hidden from a curious eye in the thick green palm trees in order to suddenly grab their prey lying right under the tree or nearby From him.

Coconut crab (lat. Birgus Latro) is actually not a crash at all, despite the striking resemblance to the articulated relative mentioned in the title. This is a land rack, belonging to the above-tagged crayfish.

Strictly speaking, it is also possible to call a palm thief to the land animal, since part of his life takes place in the marine element, and even the tiny crumbs appear in the thickness of the water. Newborn kids with defenseless soft abdominal cavity are crawled through the bottom of the reservoir in search of a reliable house, which can serve and walnut shells, and empty mollusk sink.

In "Childhood" Birgus Latro is not too different from hermit cancer: he tested her sink and spends almost all the time in water. But coming out once from the larval state and leaving the water, he is no longer able to return there, and at some point and carry a sink-house. In contrast to the abyll-hermit trousers, his abdomen is not a achilles fifth and gradually hardening, and the tail is folded under the body, protecting the body from the cuts. Thanks to the special easy, it begins to breathe outside the water.

In truth, in most legends it was this feature that the first Europeans arrived on the islands were described by coconut crabs as hiding in the foliage of creatures of creatures with long-standing clanes, which unexpectedly stretched to the earth itself and captured mining, right up to sheep and goats. Scientists have confirmed that Birgus Latro has a lot of power and can lift up to 30 kg of weight. However, they found out that their crab abilities use to drag the load from place to place, preferring to feed on dead animals, crabs and fallen fruits.

Due to what cancers are able to exist in equally comfortable in water, and on land? It turns out that the wise nature provided them at once with two respiratory instruments: light, ventilated air on the surface of the earth, and gills, allowing to breathe under water. That's only with time the second body loses its functions, and palm thieves have to completely move to the ground lifestyle.

Those who wish to meet such a miracle would have to go to the tropics - coconut crabs are found on the Islands of the Indian Ocean and on some Western Pacific Islands. To see them in the light of the day is not easy: palm thieves lead a nightlife, and in sunny time Hiding in the crevices of rocks or in sand minks lined with fibers of coconuts - it helps to keep the required level of humidity in the dwelling.

And at least the version that the coconut was able to split the coconut with their front clanes, fell with a cracking, his limbs, nevertheless, are quite developed in order to be agile to climb a palm tree or bite off a person in the finger. And the cancer is really not indifferent to coconut nuts: the nutritious flesh is the main dish in his menu, to which he must be the "coconut" name.

Sometimes the diet of cancers is enriched by the fruits of Pandanov, and in some sources, palm thieves happen to eat and alone. Hungry cancer unmistakably finds the nearest "restaurant": an internal navigator is a great sense of smell, which takes it to the source of food, even if it is in many kilometers.

As for the "thieves status" of cancer, then in this one's uncomfortable desire to pull out all sorts of discharge from the discharge of the one that he lies well - edible and not very.

The meat of coconut crab is not only listed among delicacies, but also refers to Aphrodisians, so active hunt is conducted on these arthropods. In order to prevent their complete disappearance, in some countries there are hard restrictions on Coconut Crab catch.

The body of the coconut crab, as well as all the tents, is divided into the front part (headband), on which there are 10 legs and the stomach. The front, the largest pair of legs has large claws (claws), and the left claw is much larger than the right. The following two couples, like other hermites, are large, powerful with acute ends, are used by coconut crabs for traveling by vertical or inclined surfaces. The fourth pair of legs is significantly less than the first three, which allows young coconut crabs to settle in molluscs or coconut shells, to protect. Adults use this pair for walking and mountaineering. The latter, very small steam, which usually hides inside the shell, is used by females to care for eggs, and males - for mating.

With the exception of the stage of the larvae, coconut crabs do not know how to swim, and they will certainly be drown, if they stay in water for more than an hour. For breathing, they use a special organ called gill lungs. This organ can be interpreted as the development stage between the habia and light, and is one of the most important adaptations of the coconut crab to the habitat. Lightweight lungs contain fabrics similar to those that are in the gills, but are suitable for absorbing oxygen from the air, and not from the water.

Coconut crab has a well-developed sense of smell, which it uses to search for food. Like most crabs living in water, they have specialized organs located on antennas that determine the concentration and direction of the smell.

During the day, these arthropods are distorted in nonorah or rock clefts, which are lined with coconut fibers or foliage to increase humidity in the dwelling. During the rest in its Nore, the coconut crab closes the entrance of one culley to preserve the wet microclimate in the hole, which is necessary for its respiratory organs.

As the name suggests itself, this crab feeds with coconuts, and in fact, in a position to climb the coconut palm, to a height of up to 6 meters, where coconuts are plugging with powerful culfles if they are not yet available on Earth. If the fallen coconut is not splitted when falling, the crab during the week, and then the two will gut it until it gets to juicy pulp nut. If this vigorous workman anniversary of the crab, he raises the coconut on the tree and throws it down, so as to facilitate his work. Going back to the ground, they sometimes fall, but without prejudice to health can be transferred from a height of 4, 5 meters. Coconut crab will not refuse and from other fruits, newborn turtles and fell. They were also noticed for catching and eating Polynesian rats.

Another name is a palm thief, he received for the love of everything brilliant. If there is a spoon, fork, or another brilliant thing on the wheel of the crab, be sure, he will certainly try to drag him into his mink.

From the beginning of June to the end of August, the reproduction period begins at palm vorays. The processing process lasts long and tediously, but the pairing itself occurs quite quickly. Fertilized eggs female wearing for several months on the bottom side of the abdomen. When eggs are ready for hatching, the female goes down to the seashore during the tide and produces larvae into water. During the next three to four weeks, the larvae floating in water pass several stages of development. In 25 - 30 days, already small grinding are lowered to the bottom, settle in the sinks buchetic mollusksAnd they are preparing to migrate to the ground. At this time, the kids sometimes visit the land, and gradually losing the opportunity to breathe under water, finally move into the main habitat. Coconut crabs reach puberty about five years after hatching, but they reach their maximum size only by 40 years.

Palm Vorishi dwell in the tropics, on the islands of the Indian and Western part Pacific Ocean. Christmas island in the Indian Ocean has the greatest population density of coconut crabs in the world.

Swedish and Australian scientists confirmed the truthfulness of all the stories about coconut crabs. Thus, residents of the Pacific Islands argued that those for several kilometers can smell, for example, meat or ripe fruit. Indeed, special bait under the researchers immediately attracted the attention of vorace crabs, which nevertheless were born with ordinary pieces of bread, for which the tank ordinary crabs.

The function of the janitor is, of course, it is not bad and useful, however, since Birgus Latro is a creature predominantly night and not very friendly, stumbled upon him, local residents Special delight does not experience. Reducing its number forced local authorities to establish limit on Birgus Latro calf. On Papua New Guinea, it is forbidden to include it in the restaurant menu, on the island of Saipan - to catch the crabs with a shell of less than 3.5 cm, as well as from June to September, during the reproduction period.

Coconut crab is considered the most large representative of arthropods in the world and, being actually cancer, and not crab, belongs to the species of the tenth cancers. His impressive appearance with huge sizes is frightened by any, even the most bold man. Weaklyer with such creation of nature, the powerful claws of which are able to easily break the small bones, it is better not to meet, and the more not to meet, because there is a risk of an unsuccessful handshake.

Coconut crab: where

The habitat of such an amazing monster can be considered the Islands of the Indian Ocean, in particular, the Island of Christmas, where these arthropods are presented in the greatest accumulation.

The Island of Christmas is considered the territory of Australia and is located 2,600 km in the north-west direction from the city of Perth. As a homeland coconut crab, the Island of Christmas became famous for his other feature, which was attracted and his business card. This is the migration of red crabs, which every year, in the amount of more than 50 million individuals move from forests to the coast of the ocean in order to reproduce. Moreover, such a mass journey covers the entire area of \u200b\u200bthe island and takes about a temporary measurement for about a week. During this period, most of the roads are closed for all types of transport.

The largest of arthropods, coconut crab, also successfully felt and feels perfectly in the western part of the Pacific Ocean - the largest ocean on the planet affecting the variety of life forms.

Sizes of coconut crab

The average height of such an interesting copy - coconut crab is 40 centimeters with a small weight (only about 4 kg); The length of one claw in the deployment may exceed 90 centimeters. The lifespan of the lifestyle is about 60 years, although, according to scientists, this is a controversial question and this age due to the slowness of the life cycle may exceed an approximately established number. Coconut crab, the dimensions of which at the age of 5 reach only 10 centimeters, enjoys great popularity among the lovers of exotic; Many gatherers are dreaming to replenish their collections such a nice pet.

Coconut Crab: Description

The body of the coconut crab consists of two half. The first is a headband with ten legs, which is the front part, the second half of the stomach. The front, the most massive pair of legs is equipped with large clamshes, while the left claw is an order of magnitude larger. The following two pairs of legs, like the remaining crabs, powerful and large, are completed with acute ends. Thanks to them, the crabs calmly borrow inclined or vertical surfaces. The fourth pair of legs is much less than three previous ones and allows the young coconut crab to settle in coconuts or mollusk shells to protect. Adults The fourth pair is used for walking and mountaineering. The last pair of paws, the smallest and least developed (as well as the fourth pair), usually hides inside the shell. It is used by males for mating, and females in care for eggs.

Coconut crab, whose photo fully transmits it unusual beauty And it causes emotions of the irreverating fear, in fact the creature is harmless, if, of course, do not climb on the Rogger and do not try to meet him closer. Otherwise, you can stay without fingers.

Where is the solid monster dwell?

The habitat of coconut crab is exclusively dry; In the water, an adult person cannot live due to the fact that the gill lights (something average between the habra and light) are adapted for breathing ground air, despite the fact that in such a respiratory body there are fabrics available in the gills. Or rather, the ability to live in two environments (water and ground) is present at the initial life stage of the crab, as such a person is growing to the land lifestyle. In addition, these arthropods are absolutely not able to swim and when in the water, it will be drown in water. The exception is the condition when coconut crab stays still in the stage of the larva; in this case water environment It is native for him.

Coconut crab

To meet the coconut crab in the daytime, because he prefers to lead the nightlife, hiding in the sunny time in the sandy holes, cavities of coral reefs or crevices of rocks, the bottom of which wipes foliage and fibers from coconuts. It makes it a coconut - "crab with a capital letter" in order to preserve the optimal moisture in its dwelling.

Also during the rest, he closes the entrance to his abode of one culse. This also contributes to the conservation of a comfortable microclimate for a palm inhabitant.

First impression of coconut crab

From the point of view of the first Europeans who arrived at the island of the coconut crab, the last for them appeared as a creature with long clashes, hiding in the green foliage of palm trees and suddenly capturing the prey passing by either under the tree, among which even goats and sheep came across. Indeed, palm coconut crab is the largest representative of the tensions of crayfish, it has a great power and is able to lift the cargo weighing about 30 kg. To a greater extent, such skill is used to drag extraction from place to place, and in the diet prefers dead animals, crabs (of course, a little less than he himself), young turtles and fallen fruits, in particular, the fruits of Pandanov and the contents of coconut chicken nuts Palm. Also, palm vorays (the second name of the coconut crab) were caught for fishing and eating Polynesian rats and losing garbage tanks, where they are looking for some "yummy". Moreover, the presence of people is completely not a formidable factor that would be afraid of palm coconut crab.

The photo clearly conveys the desire to progress, even more so he has a formidable weapon - huge grinding claws.

What feeds palm trees

Based on the name of this crab, we can conclude that coconuts are a favorite food product for it. This clanistone is able to be promptly climbing in palm trunks, and the conquest of a 6-meter height for him is quite familiar. Looking from the side, as a huge multilap creek creeps on a flat tree trunk, along with enthusiasm from such an unusual spectacle, any person will experience fear and horror from the irrevomination of what is happening: it would seem crab, the inhabitant of the water element - and on the tree! Do not paradox?! Powerful cushions of the crab jeep off coconuts that fall on the ground and broken. If the nut during falling remained the whole, then the coconut crab persistently worry it in order to get to a juicy nutty; It lasts this monotonous process can more than two weeks. With the unsuccessfulness of all attempts, the crustaceans will achieve their goal in a different way. Palm thief (coconut crab, then you mean) will raise the fruit back to the palm tree and reset down again. Although information on persistent splitting of coconut nuts according to some data is unchecked; In fact, the crabs feed on already split fruits, fallen from the tree and lying on the ground.

When the crabs are descended to land, due to their own clumsiness, sometimes they are not held and falling down. Without prejudice, they can safely transfer the fall from a 4-5-meter height.

Interesting features of coconut crab

Thanks to the special organs located on the antennas, which determine the direction of the smell and its concentration, coconut crab, in contrast to their crustacean conifers, has a magnificent sense of smell. Like any crab, it has tactile receptors: different lengths with hairs and bristles. In addition, there is an olfactory organs that are deprived of the rest of his fellow. The presence of them is due to the specific features of the development of palm thief, at one point failed to exist in the water and moving to live on land. Being hungry, he hears his prey even at a distance of several kilometers.

"Palm thief" - the second code of coconut crab received for the love of everything brilliant. If there will be any brilliant item on the path of artistic (beto a spoon, fork, a metal device, home apparers or something more attractive), the crab will not crash past and will definitely be reached by an interesting find (even if the latter is completely incredible), which will take off in his Crab Log.

Total measures to save coconut crab

Separately, I want to tell about what coconut crab is so appreciated. A photo of such messengers with huge clanes clearly does not cause sympathy to him.

For what women and men love him so, if there is a constant hunt for such a unique islander? The meat of coconut crabs, besides what is considered to be a delicacy, is also an aphrodisiac (substance that is in the body of the process of sexual excitation and enhance the sexual attraction in female and male), which causes the maintenance of a rather intensive hunting for this type of arthropod. To taste, it resembles the meat of lobsters or lobster and is prepared in the same way.

The most traditional dish on the islands is the coconut crab filed under sauce coconut milk Or failed in such milk just over a quarter of an hour. By the way, in Guinea to save the population of the coconut crab of the latter, it is forbidden to include in the restaurant menu.

In some countries, with the aim of preventing full disappearance, severe restrictions on coconut crabs are established. So, on the island of Saipan imposed a ban on catching crabs during the reproduction period and on individuals whose shell sizes are less than 3.5 centimeters.

Tricks catching coconut crab

Although curiosity for the sake of the sake of, still interesting, how do you catch such huge, inspiring the fear of multonypipes? On the Mariana Islands, traps are satisfied with coconut traps, in which the coconut himself is finely rubbed. Such a bait leave for a couple of days for the "Discharge", which is necessary in order for the crab to the unuhal dinner prepared for him. The trap is not even needed to hide, it is only required to bind to some tree so that the crab cannot drag her prey in an unknown direction.

Reproduction of palm treasures

From the beginning of June to the end of August, palm trees begin to multiply. The processing process continues long enough, while mating occurs at times faster. Within a few months, the female shelters fertilized eggs on the bottom side of the abdomen, and at the time of the onset of the timing of the hatching of the coconut crab female larvae sea water During the tide. Over the next three to four weeks, there are several stages of development in water in water. After 25-30 days, there are already full-fledged grinding on the bottom, where it is settled in the shells of the buchelogs of mollusks or in the shells of nuts, preparing gradually to migrate to the land, which is periodically visited.

How is the development of small grills

During this period of life, with a sink on his back, the grinders are very similar to hermit crayfish and wear a house until the abdominal will begin to gradually harden. Further, in the development of a young crab, a molting period occurs, during which a segmental repeatedly resets its shell.

The final stage of the "mature" of the young crab is to cause his tail under the belly, which causes a kind of protective measure against possible damage. As crabs grow gradually lose the opportunity to breathe under water and soon finally move into their main habitat - on land.

Maturity Coconut crabs reach approximately 5 years after hatching; The maximum size is achieved about 40 years.

Crab palm thief (lat. Birgus Latro) belongs to the Coenobitidae family. This representative of the Paguroidae PagurioDae (Paguroidae) lives on the tropical islands of the Indo-Pacific region.

It is also known as coconut crab. The crustaceans received their name because of their addiction to the fruits of coconut palm.

Back in the XIX century, they led the daily lifestyle, but when the Europeans first, and then the natives began to massively catch them for meat, the tenthellies of intellectuals quickly rebuilt.

Now they demonstrate activity exclusively at night and try to see people on their eyes as much as possible. Having burned in the souls of the eaten relatives, the avenine crabs are increasingly visiting a person's dwelling and pulling edible supplies, dishes, bottles and other little things.

Palm thieves live in rocky lagoons and on sandy shrubs, sushi sections. In their habitats round year Fruit plants, so the lack of food crabs are not experiencing.

Unfortunately, they are delivered to the islands of pigs and rats with pleasure they eat them, so in many regions their population is constantly declining. These crabs, in contrast to other related species, use empty shells only in the early stages of their development.

Palm thief has lost the ability of long stay under water and became an land being, which can even drown.

He breathes strongly modified gills. On the inner walls of the gill cavities, the crepe vessels of the skin folds appeared, which perform the function of the respiratory organ.

So that coconut crab can breathe atmospheric air, the cavity should always be wet. It regularly wets them with special centers, located on the hind limbs.

Sended from the sea, the palm thief firmly settled on land. The solid sizes of the body physically do not give him the opportunity to live in the sink. Fortunately, a very durable chitine shell makes it perfectly done without it.

Food

During the day, the crab hides in the rocky cleft or in a mink dug under the bushes. Closer to midnight, he leaves asylum and goes on fishery. With the help of strong walking legs, he without much difficulty climbs the highest trees in search of food.

His favorite delicacy are coconuts and fruits of sugar palm trees. Only one hardworking crab climbs onto a tree, as the whole is going to horded the half of the conifers, thirsting to enjoy on the dammouth.

To get to the sweet and fragrant pulp of nut, it should be broken. Without having a strength to split a solid shell with a cushion, coconut crab drops the fruit down. When falling, the nut splits, and the lucky man swells from the palm trees and proceeds to the deserved meal, unless, of course, the relatives would not have time to eat all the arrival.

In addition to fragrant fruits, palm thieves adore all sorts of palm.

Already catching the smell of rotting meat, they rushed to the feast from all their feet. They eaten with an appetite as rotten fish and their dead conifers.

Crab major prey tries to drag into Noura, and the small eats in place. To quench thirst, he immerses culbage in a puddle with fresh water, and then brings to his mouth and drinks dripping drops.

There are often very fierce fights between crabs, and many of the battle participants return to their holes without claws or other limbs.

From time to time they linen. Link lasted about 30 days and all this time the animal sits in shelter. After a mole, it immediately eats his Carapaks so that the valuable stocks of calcium and vitamins do not disappear.

Reproduction

Having settled several hundred eggs, the female during the entire incubation period wears them on the underside of the abdomen. When it comes it to hatching the larvae, the female goes to the sea and leaves the masonry there. This usually happens during good weather and tide. She constantly keeps the shores so that she was not shorn off the wave and did not take away into the sea.

The larvae appeared freely float in the thick of the plankton. On the 28th day of life, the surviving larvae falls on the bottom and after the molts turn into small crabs, which the whole month live in water, hiding in the shells of mollusks. As they grow up, they move to land, not parting with their portable houses.

The grown individuals move in half the coconut shell, becoming in this period of mining lizards and monkeys.

Only after several Linek Karapaks becomes so hard that young crabs can do without recessful protective equipment. Strong strong claws are able to repulse with any aggressor.

Crab palm thief has a phenomenal physical strength. It can no much effort to move objects weighing up to 28 kg. It grows very slowly, but then all his life.

Description

The length of the body of adult features reaches 30-45 cm with a weight of 3-4 kg. Red, orange, blue and purple, forming fairly intricate patterns prevail in the color.

The belly overlap the shell and bent under the headband. Walking legs are long and very strong. Cleans thickened and massive. Comedy head and chest are covered with a strong shell. Long antennas serve as sensitive sense of smell. Red eyes are located on short stalks.

The exact lifespan of the crabs of palm thieves in natural conditions still unknown.

Palm thief, or coconut cancer (Birgus Latro) - a view of the tenthies of crayfish from the passage of craft cancer (PaguriDea) with spectacular external species. It is capable of growing up to relatively giant sizes, it is likely that the palm thief is the largest among earthly arthropods in the world. In fact, Charles Darwin described it as a "monster". Unlike most other rack cancer, only very young coconut crayfish find and use buccular shells to protect their open belly. Later and there develops hard skin as over the rest of the body. It protects cancer, reduces water loss and does not limit its growth, which allows palm wage to reach 0.5 meters of length and weight of more than 4 kg.

photo: Weedmandan.

This huge cradle is well adapted to life on Earth, with long strong legs. It also has large muscle claws, which uses for the peeling of coconuts and the discovery of different shells. it unique phenomenon Among the crabs and explains why this species is called coconut. Its claws are actually so strong that the palm thief can lift objects weighing up to 20 kg. His stem red eyes and body color varies between the islands from Purple-blue to orange-red. Studies show that the males of this species are much larger than females.

photo: Andrew Lancaster

Palm thief almost completely leads the ground lifestyle and adapted to this so good that actually sinks in water. Nevertheless, he still breathes through changed gills. They are surrounded by spongy "cloth", which should be saved in wet state. Coconut cancer does this by immersing his feet into the water and skips it through the gills. Palm thief still requires some contact with the sea, as it often drinks water to keep your salt balance, and females come back to the sea to postpone the eggs.

photo: Jungle Diary

In the afternoon, a palm thief sits in Nore, where he is protected from dried and enemies, and at night goes to search for food. As its name implies, this cancer feeds on coconuts. When the coconuts are no longer available on Earth, he can rise to coconut palm, where the coconut will be offset with its powerful clashes. This crab is also powered by other fruits and other types of crustaceans, which are believed to provide it with calcium for the growth of the shell.

photo: marcushooi1.

After mating on Earth, the female carries fertilized caviar to the edge of the sea during the tide and releases the larvae. Pelagic larvae and stay afloat to sea up to 28 days. In the amphibian stage, they are from 21 to 28 days, after young crayfish occupy empty shells and migrate to land. A molt occurs regularly to ensure their continuous growth. Link is going on in a safe place and takes about 30 days, after which the palm thief eats the old exoskeleton. These crabs grow very slowly and is proved that they live over 40 years, after which they do not increase in size, although they continue to live for many years.

photo: Martin Navratil

Palm thief lives on oceanic islands and small marine Islandsadjacent to major continental islands in a wide range of geographical ranges in the tropical Indo-Pacific region. It settles the cracks of the cliffs and places sandbags along the coastline. For example, on the island of Olango, Philippines, he lives in Norah in coral rock, while on the island of Guam, in Oceania, it suits Nurra inside porous limestone.

Seeing this amazing artician, all the nervous will work out of horror and surprise - after all, there is no one in the world more interesting and, at the same time, terrible than coconut crab. In any case, among arthropods - after all, he is rightfully considered the largest representative.

(Total 33 photos)

1. Coconut crab has many other "names": for example, crab-thieves or palm thief - after all, it is a strange artician and really stealing their prey. Travelers of past centuries that visited the islands spread in the West of the Pacific Ocean and in the Indian Ocean, say that coconut crab is hidden from a curious eye in the thick green palm trees in order to suddenly grab their prey lying right under the tree or nearby From him.

2. Coconut crab (lat. Birgus Latro) In fact, the crab is not at all, despite the striking similarity with the articulated relative mentioned in the title. This is a land rack, belonging to the above-tagged crayfish.

Strictly speaking, to call a palm thief by land arthropod, too, with a stretch, since part of his life takes place in the marine element, and even on the light of tiny crustaceans appear in the thickness of water. Newborn kids with defenseless soft abdominal cavity are crawled through the bottom of the reservoir in search of a reliable house, which can serve and walnut shells, and empty mollusk sink.

3. In the "childhood" Birgus Latro is not too different from hermit cancer: he testes his sink and spends almost all the time in water. But coming out once from the larval state and leaving the water, he is no longer able to return there, and at some point and carry a sink-house. In contrast to the abyll-hermit trousers, his abdomen is not a achilles fifth and gradually hardening, and the tail is folded under the body, protecting the body from the cuts. Thanks to the special easy, it begins to breathe outside the water.

4. Due to what the cancer can be equally comfortable to exist in water, and on land? It turns out that the wise nature provided them at once with two respiratory instruments: light, ventilated air on the surface of the earth, and gills, allowing to breathe under water. That's only with time the second body loses its functions, and palm thieves have to completely move to the ground lifestyle.

5. Wishing to meet such a miracle would have to go to the tropics - coconut crabs are found on the Islands of the Indian Ocean and on some Western Pacific Islands. To see them in the light of the day, it is not easy: the palm thieves lead a night lifestyle, and in sunny time they are hiding in the crevices of rocks or in sand minks lined with coconuts with fibers - it helps to keep the required level of humidity in the dwelling.

6. And at least the version that the coconut was able to split the coconut with their front clanes, fell with a crackle, its limbs, however, quite developed in order to be agile to climb the palm tree or bite the finger phalange. And the cancer is really not indifferent to coconut nuts: the nutritious flesh is the main dish in his menu, to which he must be the "coconut" name.

7. Sometimes the cancer diet is enriched with Pandanov's fruits, and in some sources, palm thoughts happen to eat and alone. Hungry cancer unmistakably finds the nearest "restaurant": an internal navigator is a great sense of smell, which takes it to the source of food, even if it is in many kilometers.

8. As for the "thieves status" of cancer, then in this one's uncomfortable desire to tighten all sorts of discharge from the discharge of the one that he lies well - edible and not very.

9. The body of the coconut crab, like all the tents, is divided into the front part (headband), on which there are 10 legs and stomach. The front, the largest pair of legs has large claws (claws), and the left claw is much larger than the right. The following two couples, like other hermites, are large, powerful with acute ends, are used by coconut crabs for traveling by vertical or inclined surfaces. The fourth pair of legs is significantly less than the first three, which allows young coconut crabs to settle in molluscs or coconut shells, to protect. Adults use this pair for walking and mountaineering. The latter, very small steam, which usually hides inside the shell, is used by females to care for eggs, and males - for mating.

10. With the exception of the stage of the larvae, coconut crabs do not know how to swim, and they will certainly drown, if they stay in water for more than an hour. For breathing, they use a special organ called gill lungs. This organ can be interpreted as the development stage between the habia and light, and is one of the most important adaptations of the coconut crab to the habitat. Lightweight lungs contain fabrics similar to those that are in the gills, but are suitable for absorbing oxygen from the air, and not from the water.

11. Coconut crab has a well-developed sense of smell, which it uses to search for food. Like most crabs living in water, they have specialized organs located on antennas that determine the concentration and direction of the smell.

12. During the day, these arthropods are distorted in nonorah or rock clefts, which are lined with coconut fibers or foliage, to increase moisture in the dwelling. During the rest in its Nore, the coconut crab closes the entrance of one culley to preserve the wet microclimate in the hole, which is necessary for its respiratory organs.

13. As the name suggests itself, this crab feeds on coconuts, and in fact it is able to climb to coconut palm, to a height of up to 6 meters, where coconuts are plugging with powerful culbs if they are not yet available on Earth. If the fallen coconut is not splitted when falling, the crab during the week, and then the two will gut it until it gets to juicy pulp nut. If this vigorous workman anniversary of the crab, he raises the coconut on the tree and throws it down, so as to facilitate his work. Going back to the ground, they sometimes fall, but without prejudice to health can be transferred from a height of 4, 5 meters. Coconut crab will not refuse and from other fruits, newborn turtles and fell. They were also noticed for catching and eating Polynesian rats.

14. Another name is a palm thief, he received for the love of everything brilliant. If there is a spoon, fork, or another brilliant thing on the wheel of the crab, be sure, he will certainly try to drag him into his mink.

15. Since the beginning of June, at the end of August, the palm treasury begins the reproduction period. The processing process lasts long and tediously, but the pairing itself occurs quite quickly. Fertilized eggs female wearing for several months on the bottom side of the abdomen. When eggs are ready for hatching, the female goes down to the seashore during the tide and produces larvae into water. During the next three to four weeks, the larvae floating in water pass several stages of development. After 25 - 30 days, there are already small grinding on the bottom, settled in the shells of the buncrounds of mollusks, and are preparing to migrate to the ground. At this time, the kids sometimes visit the land, and gradually losing the opportunity to breathe under water, finally move into the main habitat. Coconut crabs reach puberty about five years after hatching, but they reach their maximum size only by 40 years.

16. Palm thieves live in the tropics, on the islands of the Indian and western part of the Pacific Oceans. Christmas island in the Indian Ocean has the greatest population density of coconut crabs in the world.

17. Swedish and Australian scientists have confirmed the truthfulness of all the stories about coconut crabs. Thus, residents of the Pacific Islands argued that those for several kilometers can smell, for example, meat or ripe fruit. Indeed, special bait under the researchers immediately attracted the attention of vorace crabs, which nevertheless were born with ordinary pieces of bread, for which the tank ordinary crabs.

18. The function of the janitor is, of course, well and useful, however, since Birgus Latro is a creature predominantly night and not very friendly, stumbled upon it, the locals of special delight are not experiencing. Reducing its number forced local authorities to establish limit on Birgus Latro calf. On Papua New Guinea, it is forbidden to include it in the restaurant menu, on the island of Saipan - to catch the crabs with a shell of less than 3.5 cm, as well as from June to September, during the reproduction period.

19. On the inner surface of the walls of the gill cavities in this land descendant of waste crafts, crosual folds of the skin are developing, in which numerous blood vessels are branched. These are real lungs, allowing the use of oxygen filling gill air cavities. Lightweight is ventilated due to the movements of scafflantitis, as well as due to the ability of animals from time to time to raise and lower Carapaks, for which special muscles serve.

It is wonderful that the gills are preserved, however, relatively small sizes. The removal of the gills did not at all in the breath; On the other hand, cancer fully lost the ability to breathe in water. Palm thief immersed in water died after 4 hours. The residual gills, apparently, do not function. Palm thief digs in the soil shallow holes, which wipes the fibers of coconuts. Charles Darwin says that the natives in some of the islands are chosen from the holes of the palm thief, these fibers needed to them in their Nomudren farm. Sometimes a palm thief is content with natural shelters - cleaners in rocks, cavities in the drained coral reefs, but also in such cases uses vegetable material to cover them, which retains high humidity in housing.