Christmas Island Giant Robber Crabs

A hoard of giant crabs have crashed a family s bbq and caused quite a fright in western australia.
Christmas island giant robber crabs. Family bbq in australia crashed and swarmed by dozens of giant robber crabs. Robber crabs behaving badly. A giant robber crab stole my camera jump to media player troublesome crabs on australia s christmas island are suspected of pinching expensive equipment. The christmas island red crab gecarcoidea natalis is a species of land crab that is endemic to christmas island and cocos keeling islands in the indian ocean.
The coconut crab birgus latro is a species of terrestrial hermit crab also known as the robber crab or palm thief it is the largest land living arthropod in the world with a weight up to 4 1 kg 9 0 lb. It can grow to up to 1 m 3 ft 3 in in length from each tip to tip of the leg. Although restricted to a relatively small area an estimated 43 7 million adult red crabs once lived on christmas island alone but the accidental introduction of the yellow crazy ant is believed to have killed about 10 15 million. A couple of local christmasisland families had a few extra mouths to feed at their bbq over the weekend the christmas island tourism wrote on facebook.
The robber crabs are the world s biggest land crustacean and grow up to three feet in length. Troublesome crabs on australia s christmas island are suspected of pinching expensive equipment. Christmas island tourism shared spectacular photos online of the robber crabs sometimes. Christmas island robber crabs and hermit crabs.
Christmas island has the world s largest population of robber crabs who can live to be more than 50. On land the anomura are represented principally by the coenobitidae which include 16 species of shell carrying terrestrial hermit crabs coenobita and the robber or coconut crab birgus latro the largest terrestrial arthropod an abdomen which is clearly visible and distinct from the cephalothorax is a morphological feature of anomuran crabs. It is found on islands across the indian ocean and parts of the pacific ocean as far east as the gambier.