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Politics : BuSab -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: SmoothSail who wrote (117)	2/25/2009 2:56:37 PM
From: TimF	Respond to of 23934

Reports about the size of Birgus latro vary, but most references give a body length of up to 40 cm (16 in)[4], a weight of up to 9 lb (4.1 kg), and a leg span of more than 3 ft (0.91 m) en.wikipedia.org Relationship with humans This hermit crab with its intimidating size and strength has a special position in the culture of many human societies which share its range. The coconut crab is admired for its strength, and it is said[who?] that villagers use this animal to guard their coconut plantations. The coconut crab, especially if it is not yet fully grown, is also sold as a pet, for example in Tokyo. The cage must be strong enough that the animal cannot use its powerful claws to escape. Should a coconut crab pinch a person, this is not only painful but the frightened crab will usually hold fast. Thomas Hale Streets reports the following trick, used by Micronesians of the Line Islands, to get a coconut crab to loosen its grip: [I]t may be interesting to know that in such a dilemma a gentle titillation of the under soft parts of the body with any light material will cause the crab to loose its hold.[10] The coconut crab is eaten by the Pacific islanders, and is considered a delicacy and an aphrodisiac, with a taste similar to lobster and crab meat. The most prized parts are the eggs inside the female coconut crab and the fat in the abdomen. Coconut crabs can be cooked like other large crustaceans, by boiling or steaming. Different islands also have a variety of recipes, as for example coconut crab cooked in coconut milk. While the coconut crab itself is not innately poisonous, it may become so depending on its diet, and cases of coconut crab poisoning have occurred. It is believed that the poison comes from plant toxins, which would explain why some animals are poisonous and others not. Reputedly[citation needed] this poison is considered an aphrodisiac, similar to the highly poisonous pufferfish eaten in Japan. However, coconut crabs are not a commercially significant species and are usually not sold. Children sometimes play with coconut crabs by placing some wet grass at an angle on a palm tree that contains a coconut crab. When the animal climbs down, it believes the grass is the ground, releases its grip on the tree, and subsequently falls. en.wikipedia.org