coconut crab

American  

noun

1. a large, terrestrial crab, Birgus latro, of islands in the South Pacific, that feeds on coconuts.

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Etymology

Origin of coconut crab

First recorded in 1895–1900

Example Sentences

There’s also the coconut crab, a type of hermit crab whose claw is so strong it can grip with a force 50 percent greater than a wolf’s jaw.

From Salon • Dec. 31, 2024

The island has startling natural beauty, from lush vegetation to pristine white beaches, and is also home to the world’s biggest terrestrial arthropod - the coconut crab.

From BBC • Sep. 29, 2024

Inside was a diorama featuring models of nine crustaceans, including a coconut crab, usually found on tropical islands; a decorator crab, which covers its body with algae for camouflage; and the knobbly horrid elbow crab.

From New York Times • Dec. 27, 2023

A group of Australian golfers had their game interrupted by a grabby coconut crab, and it cost one man a golf club.

From Fox News • Jan. 5, 2022

The coconut crab, once a delicacy of the atolls, is now inedible because it has retained such a high level of strontium 90.

From Time Magazine Archive