Quick Take
- These hermit crabs have abandoned the one trait that defines their entire family, and understanding the reason why reveals something unexpected about their size. See why they ditch shells →
- Adult coconut crabs can drown, which raises a strange question about how a crustacean became so committed to land.
- Their claws do something most people would never attribute to a crab, which redefines what 'strong' means for an invertebrate. Discover their claw strength →
- Living six decades without ever returning to the ocean demands solving a problem that should be impossible for their body type. Explore their 60-year lifespan →
Can you imagine a crab that lives almost as long as a human? While it might sound unbelievable, some species have remarkably long lifespans. One example is the coconut crab, which can live to around 60 years old. This Instagram post by @captain.coleharrison and @freediversteph shows one of these crabs in a video along with some fun facts. Read here to learn more about the coconut crab.
The coconut crab is famous for climbing trees, even feeding on the coconuts in them.
©Nick Greaves/Shutterstock.com
Coconut Crabs Are How Old?!
Coconut crabs are remarkable crustaceans with a unique name. They get their name for a simple reason: they can crack open coconuts. It’s hard to imagine a crab cracking open a coconut, which demonstrates just how strong these crabs are. Coconut crabs are giant hermit crabs that spend nearly their entire lives on land. They are found on tropical islands throughout the Indian and Pacific Oceans, such as Christmas Island, the Seychelles, and the Andaman Islands. One of their most remarkable traits is their size. Coconut crabs are the largest terrestrial arthropods in the world, with a leg span that reaches about three feet! They typically weigh about 10 pounds and have massive, powerful claws that can inflict extremely painful pinches.
These crabs are some of the strongest in the world. They have been documented lifting up to around 60 pounds, which is about six times their body weight. Using these impressive claws, they climb trees and rocky surfaces to find shelter, reach food, and escape predators. Another unusual trait of these crabs is their extremely long lifespan. Most live between 50 and 60 years, closely rivaling the lifespan of humans! One little-known fact is that coconut crabs no longer need a shell for protection. Most hermit crab species have some sort of external shell that they change as they grow larger. However, coconut crabs have grown so large that they no longer require a shell, as there are none large enough to fit them. Regardless, these extraordinary crabs are a wonder of nature.
