Birgus latro - the coconut crab, the largest land-living arthropod on Earth

[Dr. Kyuros]

[video=youtube;ch3VVI4IDqc]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ch3VVI4IDqc[/video]

[video=youtube;JCkNSWz-IDc]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCkNSWz-IDc[/video]

Absolutely stunning to see these creatures in action, quite cute I might add seeing as they're just oversized hermit crabs - the young ones that are near indistinguishable from normal hermits are just adorable.

Saddened to hear though that they've gone locally extinct in some parts of the world.

[dai]

[QUOTE=Dr. Kyuros;50938003]
[video=youtube;JCkNSWz-IDc]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCkNSWz-IDc[/video]
[/QUOTE]

at 6:30, it's so surreal seeing that massive claw hand food up to a tiny little set of arms that it then feeds itself with. Always forget those appendages exist on them and other similar creatures

[StrawberryClock]

Pretty incredible how despite its size it can can still climb palm trees.

[Anderan]

There's just something about watching a crab climb a tree.

[GURREN LAGANN]

I wanna see one rip open a coconut. I can barely open one with a hammer

[ridinmybike]

the baby ones look high as fuck

[Hamaflavian]

That one in the first video was missing a leg :cry:

[Kegan]

Coconut crabs are cool, they seem like such big chill things.

I like how they drag coconuts back home to eat for later

[Curls]

[QUOTE=GURREN LAGANN;50938626]I wanna see one rip open a coconut. I can barely open one with a hammer[/QUOTE]

[video=youtube;JQU6o4ooL5E]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQU6o4ooL5E[/video]

[Mattk50]

in that second video while he's lifting up the crab, the crab uses its claw to crack it's own tail shell thing... what the heck. they really arent used to being lifted up i guess, to thepoint where it injured itself

[Pagliacci]

They're edible too

[video=youtube_share;HeqQAqodaBE]http://youtu.be/HeqQAqodaBE[/video]

[mooman1080]

[QUOTE=Dr. Kyuros;50938003]quite cute I might add seeing as they're just oversized hermit crabs [/QUOTE]

Crabs are not cute animals, they are creepy as fuck beach spiders of varying sizes

[helifreak]

[QUOTE=mooman1080;50939318]Crabs are not cute animals, they are creepy as fuck beach spiders of varying sizes[/QUOTE]

Crabs and spiders are both cute.

[knimren]

[QUOTE=helifreak;50939348]Crabs and spiders are both cute.[/QUOTE]

Then why are they designed to look creepy?

[Zadrave]

Anything more than 4 limbs or more than 2 eyes can stop existing

[Dr. Kyuros]

[QUOTE=Antimuffin;50939987]Then why are they designed to look creepy?[/QUOTE]

Otherwise they probably wouldn't be able to catch prey as often.

If you're able to look past that, jumping spiders are one notable example of spiders being cute due to their stature and mannerisms.

[t]http://i.imgur.com/No3Dzcd.jpg[/t]

[coup]

[QUOTE=helifreak;50939348]Crabs and spiders are both cute.[/QUOTE]

Depends on the spider. Banana spiders are fucking horrifying. And they grow HUGE.

[img]http://i.imgur.com/sbe0Kvi.jpg[/img]

Most of the ones near me are actually much larger than this, scarily enough.

[Chronische]

Their webs are also really thick and bright yellow, and are everywhere.

[Dr. Kyuros]

[QUOTE=RichyZ;50941000]idk why ppl disagree, they are pretty much spiders and their faces are horrifying

funfact, if u deep fry a spider and eat the flesh its nearly identical in both taste and texture to crab, makes u think[/QUOTE]

So you admit to eating spiders deep fried?

[editline]August 24th, 2016[/editline]

Actually, [URL="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fried_spider"]this[/URL] is what I could find on the topic matter which may or may not correct that assumption

[QUOTE=Wikipedia]The taste has been described as bland, "rather like a cross between chicken and cod", with a contrast in texture from a crispy exterior to a soft centre. The legs contain little flesh, while the head and body have "a delicate white meat inside". There are certainly those who might not enjoy the abdomen, however, as it contains a brown paste consisting of organs, possibly eggs, and excrement. Some call it a delicacy while others recommend not eating it.[/QUOTE]

Also [URL="http://www.dangerous-business.com/2014/04/amanda-vs-food-spiders-cambodia/"]one report of food poisoning.[/URL] Yeah, this further reassures me not to eat spiders, ever.

[bull04]

[QUOTE=ForgottenKane;50940381]Depends on the spider. Banana spiders are fucking horrifying. And they grow HUGE.

[img]http://i.imgur.com/sbe0Kvi.jpg[/img]

Most of the ones near me are actually much larger than this, scarily enough.[/QUOTE]
Banana spiders are completely harmless though, which is cool. I agree that both crabs and spiders are adorable, you just have to be willing to give them a chance. Very intricate and amazing creatures. I love my 3 little tarantulas <3

[coup]

Tarantulas are cool and adorable, but Banana Spiders are just disgusting tbh.

I saw a 2-footer walk across some grass one time and I never want to experience that horror again.

[Dr. Kyuros]

Having preferences for some species that others may find uncanny in appearance or function and still finding some eerie qualities in others says a lot for us humans.

Even for someone who loves bug and arthropods in general, treating them like any other animal and would really hesitate if I was ever told to kill them even ones with seedy reputations (i.e: wasps), I think no one in their right mind should seriously like fleas, ticks, or mosquitoes (for obvious reasons).

[bull04]

[QUOTE=ForgottenKane;50941487]Tarantulas are cool and adorable, but Banana Spiders are just disgusting tbh.

I saw a 2-footer walk across some grass one time and I never want to experience that horror again.[/QUOTE]
2-foot legspan on a banana spider? You sure it wasn't a small dog?

[coup]

[QUOTE=bull04;50941945]2-foot legspan on a banana spider? You sure it wasn't a small dog?[/QUOTE]

From one side to the other was definitely near 2-feet if not 2-feet entirely. I thought it was something else until I got a closer look, and by that time I started running for my life.

They grow huge down here, but GOD DAMN was that one big. I still have nightmares.

[evilweazel]

[IMG]https://i.ytimg.com/vi/z54da6-fz94/hqdefault.jpg[/IMG]

[Mikaru-Yanagida]

I wanna see what happens if you just roll or leave a bunch of coconuts around one and see how it reacts. And then do that in front of a group of them and see what happens :v:

Or literally just try to hand it one and see what it does.

[Dr. Kyuros]

[QUOTE=Mikaru-Yanagida;50943850]I wanna see what happens if you just roll or leave a bunch of coconuts around one and see how it reacts. And then do that in front of a group of them and see what happens :v:

Or literally just try to hand it one and see what it does.[/QUOTE]

Would gladly exploit the former and last examples if they're in the mood to eat. Maybe some infighting with the latter example, or sharing the spoils if there's more than just one coconut.

I imagine though that some individuals would be pretty bashful towards humans or other large animals coming near them and would try to flee, or even warn them to back off as shown with this video.

[video=youtube;0tM_9DFeTB0]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tM_9DFeTB0[/video]

[ignhelper]

They look fucking delicious what cute are you guys talking about

[abcpea]

[QUOTE=GURREN LAGANN;50938626]I wanna see one rip open a coconut. I can barely open one with a hammer[/QUOTE]

I wanna rip one open like a coconut.

[Deadpan]

Wow, seeing the first video makes me really want to see more documentaries where its just raw footage with no narration or human noise. Really incredibly peaceful.