Coconut crab  (Birgus latro)

Abdomen: In arthropods (crustaceans, insects and arachnids) the abdomen is the hind region of the body, which is usually segmented to a degree (but not visibly in most spiders). In crustacea (e.g. crabs) some of the limbs attach to the abdomen; in insects the limbs are attached to the thorax (the part of the body nearest to the head) and not the abdomen. In vertebrates the abdomen is the part of the body that contains the internal organs (except the heart and lungs).
Amphibious: Living or able to live both on land and in water.
Arthropoda: A very diverse phylum (a major grouping of animals) that includes crustaceans, insects and arachnids. All arthropods have paired jointed limbs and a hard external skeleton (exoskeleton).
Carapace: A hard bony or chitinous outer covering, such as the portion of the exoskeleton covering the head and thorax of a crustacean, or the fused dorsal plates of a turtle.
Crustacea: Diverse group of arthropods (a phylum of animals with jointed limbs and a hard chitinous exoskeleton) characterised by the possession of two pairs of antennae, one pair of mandibles (parts of the mouthparts used for handling and processing food) and two pairs of maxillae (appendages used in eating, which are located behind the mandibles). Includes crabs, lobsters, shrimps, slaters, woodlice and barnacles.
Gastropod: Any of various molluscs of the class Gastropoda, such as the snail, slug, cowrie, or limpet, characteristically having a single, usually coiled shell or no shell at all, a ventral muscular foot for locomotion, and eyes and feelers located on a distinct head.
Husking: The act of removing or stripping off husks, the shell or outer covering of something, especially when considered worthless.
Larvae: Stage in an animal's lifecycle after it hatches from the egg. Larvae are typically very different in appearance to adults; they are able to feed and move around but usually are unable to reproduce.
Pelagic: Inhabits the open oceans.

1. IUCN Red List (May, 2009)
   http://www.iucnredlist.org
   
2. Wells, S., Pyle, R.M. and Collins, N.M. (1984) The IUCN Invertebrate Red Data Book. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland.
   
3. Keynes, Richard. (2000) Charles Darwin's zoology notes and specimen lists from H.M.S. Beagle. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.
   
4. McCormack, G. (2006) Pers. Comm.
   
5. Altevogt, R. and Davis, T.A. (1975) Birgus latro India's monstrous crab. A study and an appeal. Bulletin of the Department of Marine Sciences, University of Cochin, 7: 11 - 23.
   
6. Grubb, P. (1971) Ecology of terrestrial decapod crustaceans on Aldabra. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society: Biological Sciences, 260: 411 - 416.
   
7. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) (November, 2005)
   http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/AC281E/AC281E03.htm
   
8. Held, E.E. (1963) Moulting behaviour of Birgus latro. Nature, 200: 799 - 800.
   
9. Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust (May, 2006)
   http://cookislands.bishopmuseum.org/showarticle.asp?id=14
   
10. Seafriends (March, 2008)
    http://www.seafriends.org.nz/issues/cons/biodiv3.htm