@natural_selections_: 𝘾𝙤𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙨𝙖𝙡 𝘾𝙧𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙘𝙚𝙖𝙣: 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝘾𝙤𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙪𝙩 𝘾𝙧𝙖𝙗 𝚂𝚌𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚏𝚒𝚌 𝙽𝚊𝚖𝚎: 𝘉𝘪𝘳𝘨𝘶𝘴 𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘳𝘰 Coconut crabs shouldn’t just be recognized for their supposed ability to strip a famous pilot’s carcass, they should be admired as a rare glimpse into our planet’s past, a past filled with giant arthropods. Reaching lengths of over 3 feet and weighing in at nearly 10 pounds, coconut crabs are the largest living terrestrial arthropods. When compared to other extant species of arthropod, the staggering size of these crabs makes them a rare oddity on our planet. This terrestrial crab may be massive by today’s standards, but way before our time, giant arthropods were by no means an uncommon sight on Earth. Millipedes reaching lengths of 8 feet, giant sea scorpions as big as a cars, or even dragonflies with 28” wingspans have all previously existed on our planet. While that all may have been hundreds of millions of years ago, those animals still lived and died on the same rock we find ourselves on. Unfortunately, we will never be able to see the giant arthropods of our ancient world, but we still have the coconut crab. To me, they are one of the coolest animals on earth. Not for size or might, but because they stand as one of the last living examples of the colossal creatures that once called Earth home, long ago. #nature #wildlife #animals #science #education #foryou #foryoupage #viral #comedy #memes #funny #halloween #spooky #discovery

Zach

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Thursday 21 September 2023 13:09:51 GMT