The Robber Crab Birgus latro (Linnaeus, 1767)

Abstract

The robber or coconut crab Birgus latro (Linnaeus, 1767) is a terrestrial hermit crab. It is the largest—land living arthropod in the world. As far as India is concerned, distribution of this crab is restricted to Great Nicobar Island and South Sentinel Island in Andaman and Nicobar Archipelago. The crab divided into a front section (cephalothorax), which has eight legs, and an abdomen. The front-most pair of legs has large chelae (claws), with the left being larger than the right. The next two pairs, as with other hermit crabs, are large, powerful walking legs with pointed tips, which allow coconut crabs to climb vertical or overhanging surfaces.