Coconut crab

The palm thief, also called the coconut crab, is the biggest land-dwelling arthropod on Earth. These hefty crustaceans roam tropical islands from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific, often disappearing from areas where humans settle. Their leg span can stretch a full meter wide.

• Weighs up to 4.1 kg (9 lb), about as heavy as a large housecat.
• Legs can stretch 1 meter from tip to tip when fully extended.
• Once lived on mainland coasts but now mainly found on remote islands.