Examples of terrestrial crabs are found in the families Gecarcinidae and Gecarcinucidae, as well as in selected genera from other families, such as Sesarma, [1] although the term "land crab" is often used to mean solely the family Gecarcinidae.

Adult land crabs are terrestrial, but visit the sea periodically, where they breed and their larvae develop. Land crabs are tropical omnivores which sometimes cause considerable damage to crops. Most land crabs have one of their claws larger than the other.

Gecarcinus ruricola is a species of terrestrial crab. It is the most terrestrial of the Caribbean land crabs, [3] and is found from western Cuba across the Antilles as far east as Barbados. Common names for G. ruricola include the purple land crab, [1] black land crab, [3] red land crab, [4] and zombie crab. [5]

Aug 8, 2022 · The coconut crab is the largest land crab – and for that matter, the largest terrestrial arthropod – on the planet. In many parts of the world, it faces a perilous future. On Palmyra, though, the situation is much brighter.

Mar 11, 2025 · Terrestrial crabs, such as the coconut crab and land crab, live on land but often return to water to reproduce. They breathe air through modified gills or lungs and eat plants, insects, or carrion. These crabs thrive in tropical regions, from beaches to jungles.

Land crab, any crab of the family Gecarcinidae (order Decapoda of the class Crustacea), typically terrestrial, square-bodied crabs that only occasionally, as adults, return to the sea. They occur in tropical America, West Africa, and the Indo-Pacific region.

How can you tell the difference between a land and marine hermit crab? Terrestrial hermit crabs have solid-colored legs, most often red or purple. Aquatic hermit crabs, on the other hand, have multicolored, striped or speckled legs.

Feb 22, 2025 · Meet the coconut crab, the largest terrestrial crab on earth. Stay away from its pincers, but don’t get the wrong idea - as fearsome as these crustaceans may seem, it’s humans who are a threat to them, not the other way around. Click through our slideshow to learn more.

It could be a scene from a science fiction movie: giant, omnivorous crabs—the size of small dogs—feasting on coconuts, which they crush with their claws, and climbing trees in search of live prey. But the enormous crabs are themselves vulnerable—to human predators.

Explore our collection of amazing Terrestrial Land Crabs! These incredible crustaceans have cleverly adapted to live on land, showing off various behaviors and cool abilities.