Animals So Weird They Could Star in the Next Pokemon Game

11. The Colossal Coconut Crab: Ocean Island's Terrestrial Giant

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The coconut crab (Birgus latro), the largest terrestrial arthropod on Earth, is a true marvel of evolution. Found on islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans, this giant crab can weigh over 9 pounds (4 kg) and measure up to 3 feet from leg to leg. Despite its name, the coconut crab has a varied diet that includes fruits, nuts, carrion, and even small animals. Its powerful claws are capable of cracking open coconuts, which it retrieves by climbing trees and dropping the nuts to the ground.

Coconut crabs are fully adapted to life on land, breathing through a specialized organ called a branchiostegal lung. However, they return to the sea to release their eggs, which develop into planktonic larvae before transitioning to land.

Habitat loss and overharvesting have led to a decline in coconut crab populations, and the species is listed as vulnerable. Conservation efforts are essential to protect this fascinating arthropod, which plays a vital role in island ecosystems.