Of Crabs and Coconuts

Psalm 104:24
“O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.”

There are many and various animals in the world, and some of them can be very unusual. Perhaps one of the strangest is the coconut crab (Birgus latro). Despite its name, it rarely eats coconuts. But the fact that it possesses such a name is one of the odd things about it. It is a land crab. Of course, there are a number of species of land crabs around the world, but to those of us in the western world, the land still seems an unusual environment for a type of animal that we expect to see in the sea.

Coconut crabs are huge. They are the largest land-dwelling arthropods, and they look very intimidating. Their bodies are about 16 inches across, and their leg span can be up to 3 feet. Their huge claws can cause considerable pain, and they don’t seem to like to let go! And they live primarily on land, usually in burrows, though they can climb trees. This gives the crab its alternative name of “robber crab”, because they will steal coconuts from the palms.

Were these animals made like this, or did God create crabs with sufficient adaptability for some of them to live on land?

Evolutionists suppose that all crustaceans, like crabs, have a common ancestor. Yet, the fossil record does not show this. Nor is it possible to postulate one for such a wide variety of types. God, in His creativity, has made so many wonderful sorts of animals.

Prayer: We praise You, Lord, for Your manifold works as we find out more about the creatures with which You have filled the earth. Amen.

Author: Paul F. Taylor

Ref: Doolan R. (1992), The Robber Crab, < https://creation.com/the-robber-crab >, accessed 12/22/2018. Image: CC BY-SA 3.0 Unported.

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