Legendary Coconut Crabs: First Domestic Reveal of Larvae Wearing Shells

According to a video from the YouTube channel 'TV Saengmul Dogam', various growth stages and rare appearances of the rarely seen coconut crab in Korea were identified at the Bang Crab Research Institute located in Osan, Gyeonggi-do.

Coconut crabs with slow growth rates, from ultra-mini to giant individuals

The video introduced coconut crabs of various sizes being managed at the Bang Crab Research Institute. It is known that coconut crabs typically take 3 to 4 years or more to grow into adults, and their average lifespan is between 20 and 60 years. According to the institute's explanation, they are a species that is difficult to farm because their growth rate is very slow.

In the video, various sizes appeared, from very small individuals similar in size to hermit crabs found in stationery stores, to individuals known to become larger than a human face when fully grown. In particular, very small individuals have the characteristic of being hard to notice to the human eye because they live under fallen leaves or underground in natural environments. The video also captured the appearance of 'ultra-mini' sized coconut crabs, which have almost the same shape and proportions as adults.

The habit of coconut crabs attacking by wrapping with hind legs and biting

Information regarding the attack methods and dangers of coconut crabs was also mentioned. The cast in the video explained that coconut crabs have a habit of using their hind legs to wrap around a target before biting. Due to this characteristic, one can be bitten if they let their guard down, and their gripping strength is shown to reach 20kg to 30kg, possessing enough power to destroy hard melamine materials.

Precautions when handling coconut crabs were also conveyed in the video. It was mentioned that if handled while wearing gloves, the coconut crab may pinch the glove itself with its claws, making it harder to take off. Additionally, it was included that among enthusiasts, they sometimes choose to wait until the coconut crab releases its strength while being bitten in order to avoid damaging the individual.

Larvae wearing shells and Spinosus revealed in Korea for the first time

One of the main scenes of this video is the appearance of a coconut crab wearing a seashell (Shell). Although coconut crabs live outside of water, they return to the sea to spawn, and during the larval stage where they grow in the water, they live wearing a shell like a hermit crab. The video stated that this appearance of larvae is a rare scene that has rarely been revealed in Korea.

A characteristic that distinguishes coconut crabs from hermit crabs was mentioned as the horn protruding sharply from the forehead like a shrimp. In the video, in addition to the coconut crab wearing a seashell, the appearance of a shell called 'Spinosus', where the body protrudes outside the shell, also appeared. Spinosus is also referred to as a coconut crab with a seashell.