About coconut crab! Ishigaki Island resident staff will give you a thorough explanation!

Hello everyone!

A remote island belonging to the Yaeyama Islands in Okinawa Prefecture,Ishigaki Islandschool (e.g. of ikebana)A subtropical island overflowing with natureIt is.

 

I live on such an island.coconut crab (Birgus latro)Have you ever heard of a creature called

 

Many of you may have seen it in photos or videos, as it is occasionally featured on TV and other media.

 

It looks a little like a crab or hermit crab, but it is neither,Very strange shaped creatures.It is.

This article introduces the coconut crab of Ishigaki Island.

 

 

What is Ishigaki Island coconut crab?

Hermit crabs are a crustacean decapod (shrimp) hermit crab (Hermit Crab), suborder Hermit Crab (suborder Heteroidea)Organisms belonging to the family Hermit CrabsIt is.Distributed in tropical to subtropical regionsI am doing it.

 

There are hermit crabs, koshiori shrimps, and king crabs in the same classification. Among them, the hermit crab, as the name of its classification suggestsBiologically close to hermit crabsIt is.

 

Crustaceans have adapted to life on land, and in the course of further evolutionHermit crabs have shed their shells, which are synonymous with hermit crabsand will be.

 

It is said to be the largest land-living arthropod on earth,3-40 cm in lengthIt can be as much as a foot long, including the legs.Individuals over 1mThere are also

 

Weight is 4 kgIt is also said that it can be as much as land-based life, though,Reproduction always returns to the sea.

Body color is blue, blue-purple, or brown,It blends in with the rocky terrain and jungle.

 

The breathing organs are located in the distended portions of the abdomen, where they store moisture so that they can breathe on land.

 

So there is a lot of humidity.It can only live in a tropical (tropical to subtropical) environment.

 

Also, after all is said and doneLarge scissorsThe force with which it clamps is very strong. The clamping force is also very strong, and in the case of a large-sized coconut crab, the force isEquivalent to lion's bite forcewill be.

 

It can easily amputate about the size of a human finger.If you see a coconut crab, do not carelessly touch it or offer your fingers or other objects to be caught in the scissors.

Also, coconut crabs,By late November, activity drops and movement slows.It will be.

 

The next active season is around early April,Hibernates when outside temperature drops below 20°CIt is considered to be a

 

thereforeMost chances to see coconut crabs are in spring and summer.It can be said that

 

Coconut crabs were originallyFertile creatures.However, it is possible for human beings toOverfishing and predation have led to a considerable decline in their numbers.

 

You can see them on Ishigaki Island, though,It is now listed as an endangered species and is also listed as a critically endangered species on the Ministry of the Environment's Red List of Threatened Species, Category II (VU).

 

 

 

Habitat of coconut crabs on Ishigaki Island

Habitat: Ishigaki IslandMangrove swamps and cavesThe first time the company appears in the

 

When they are small, they live around saltwater, and as they grow up, they change their habitat to land.

 

Among them.Particularly abundant near the habitat of a plant called adanThe coconut crabs are also able to hide safely in the Adan. Adans have many legs that grow closely together, allowing coconut crabs to hide safely.

The fruit also emits a sweet odor when ripe,Palm crabs are a favorite food of coconut crabs, and they go out of their way to drop adan nuts and climb trees to eat them.It also does.

 

Adan (sect of Shingi Shingon Buddhism)If they are not ripe, they are very astringent, and conversely, when they are ripe, they are quickly swarmed by a large number of insects,It is not well suited for human consumption.

 

You can eat deliciously cooked adan in taverns and other places.So, if you want to eat adang, go to a tavern that serves it.

Palm crabs are not the only trees in the adan tree.They spend their time hiding under dead leaves or on rocks.

 

More active during humid rainy seasonand sometimes the behavior can be seen during the daytime.

 

Ishigaki Island coconut crab food

The coconut crab, as mentioned above, prefers adan, though,Basically omnivorous, eats both plants and animalsIt is also known that If it goes in your mouth.They also eat rotting carrion meat too.There are also times when

 

In the past, people used to wind-bury their dead and it is said that they used to eat their flesh.

 

It is also said that they were revered and feared as beings who sent the souls of the dead to the afterlife.

The coconut crabs of Ishigaki Island areFruits of adan, takonoki, shell ginger, buckthorn, black-eyed pea, and kwaziimoand others seem to be favorite foods and eat them.

 

Cautions for Ishigaki Island coconut crabs

Can you eat coconut crabs on Ishigaki Island?

Yashi gani (coconut crab) has long been eaten on Ishigaki Island,Eating.It can also be found in stores and at markets.

 

It is said that if the fish is not eaten immediately after it is caught or frozen, it will lose its flesh.

 

mainlyWhen eating it, it is often boiled in hot water, ,The arm is the edible partIt is often eaten in salted water or used in soups such as miso soup. It is often eaten with a salted broth or used in soup dishes such as miso soup.

Palm crabs are omnivorous and will eat anything, so even though palm crabs are okayIt is possible that we are eating something that is poisonous to humans.Toxins and toxic substances accumulate in the intestines of coconut crabs and are said to hit them whenever they eat the intestines.

 

Therefore, it is very dangerous for individuals to capture and eat them.

 

Ishigaki Island coconut crab poison

The coconut crab itself does not produce poison, but coconut crabs eat a variety of things,They are highly poisonous, depending on what they eat.It is known that

 

There have been deaths from eating coconut crabs.Some believe that the nuts of a tree called hassunohagi are responsible for this, but the details are unknown.

 

Some people believe that coconut crabs that do not turn red after boiling are poisonous and should not be eaten.

Toxins and toxic substances accumulate in the intestines of coconut crabs, so poisonous individualsare many.

 

When eating coconut crabs,Never go to a place that offers it in a restaurant and do not prey on it personally.

 

The power of the scissors of the Ishigaki Island coconut crab

Measured to dateMaximum force is 1765 N for an individual weighing over 2 kg.It is. It is said that in the largest individuals, the force may exceed 3000N. This isVery strong pinching force, comparable to a lion's biteIt can be said that

 

It is said to easily break people's fingers as well.If you see one, do not carelessly offer a finger or other object to be caught in the scissors.

If you get caught in a coconut crab...Some people believe that if you roast them over a lighter flame, they will let go, but this is a superstition.It is. According to those who tried it, it did not work at all.

 

The force of the coconut crab's scissors is very strong, and it is a big deal if you get caught.If you put their feet on the ground and reassure them, they usually let go.That is to say.

 

The best measure is not to touch the coconut crab.

 

Lifespan of the Ishigaki Island coconut crab

Coconut crabs are known to be quite long-lived, and recent studies,Both sexes live about 50 years.We know that it will be.

 

However, as crabs and other crustaceans grow larger, their growth slows down,As long as they live, they continue to molt and grow larger.

 

Coconut crabs are long-lived and slow-growing,Once the population declines, it takes many years to return to normal.It is assumed that

 

Spawning of coconut crab in Ishigaki Island

Coconut crabs live in mangrove jungles near the coast. During the spawning season, coconut crabs embrace and mate.

Then down to the sea,The eggs held in the belly are immersed in seawater.The eggs are then The stimulus then causes the coconut crab larvae to hatch from the eggs and fly out into the sea.

 

The larvae grew as plankton for a while,At first, they look just like hermit crabs and come ashore carrying shells on their backs.

 

Then, after growing for a while, the shells are discarded,Living the lifestyle of a known coconut crabIt was considered to be a

However,Recent studies have overturned this established theory.

 

In December 2008, the Ishigaki Branch of the Fisheries Research Institute of the Western Sea Area, Fisheries Research Center, which is the only organization in Japan conducting ecological research on coconut crabs, was established,They confirmed that coconut crabs spawn on land.

There was only a theory about the spawning of coconut crabs, but for the first time in the world, we identified their spawning site and succeeded in photographing their spawning behavior.

 

This overturned the conventional theory,It is clear that coconut crabs spawn on land.The paper was accepted and published in the British Journal of Science.

 

in this wayIt can be said that the coconut crab is still shrouded in mystery with many unknowns.

 

Size of the Ishigaki Island coconut crab

Coconut crabs are arthropods that live on land,largest on earthIt is also said that the length of the body can be 3-40 cm, including the legs.Individuals over 1mThere are also

 

It is said to weigh as much as 4 kg!The growth of a fish is a process of molting. It grows while molting each time it grows.

 

It is said to grow 3-4 mm larger with each molt.During the molting period, the shell is soft and very delicate, so avoid cannibalism,They dig a hole 70 cm to 1 m long and molt in the hole.

 

They then spend a month or so in their burrows recovering their strength before emerging above ground.

 

When molting, the hole is properly plugged,To prevent another coconut crab from invading later.to the

 

Tour to look for coconut crabs in Ishigaki Island

Jungle Night Tour

“Jungle Night Tour", you can search for coconut crabs.

 

The coconut crab is what thisOne of the highlights of the Jungle Night TourIt is Ishigaki Island belongs to a subtropical climate, which is rare in Japan,Visitors can observe rare creatures that do not live on the mainland.

 

Such a representative of the "coconut crab (Birgus latro)". Other.fruit batand ... andowl (esp. the Ural owl, Strix uralensis)There are creatures that can only be seen at night, such as

Habitat of coconut crabs and habitat and time of appearance of hubs are almost the sameSo, there are sometimes hubs in the tree line and rocky areas near the beach late at night when it is gloomy,Guided tours allow you to explore in peace.

 

We will go out into the jungle of Ishigaki Island at night in search of such unusual creatures.

During this tour, of course.Beautiful starry sky viewIn addition, the number of tourists will be much smaller, so you will be able to enjoy the beautiful scenery of the city.Flexible activitiesThe first two are the following.

 

You can enjoy looking for coconut crabs under the stars as much as you like!

 

 

At the end.

We introduced you to the coconut crabs of Ishigaki Island. How was it?

Coconut crabs inhabiting Ishigaki Island are still being surveyed.It is a very enigmatic animal.

 

It is also listed as an endangered species and on the Red List of the Ministry of the Environment.It is listed as an endangered species II (VU).

 

if possiblePalm crabs are not eaten.and tours.If you visit the jungle and come into contact with itI think.

 

ifWe hope you are interested in coconut crabs and enjoy your tour.

 

Thank you for reading to the end.