Land Crab

Land Crab, common name for multiple species of true crabs adapted for terrestrial existence. Land crabs have the series of gills found in all crabs. In addition, the portion of the shell covering the gills is considerably inflated and lined with a thick membrane richly supplied with blood vessels. This adaptation allows land crabs to use oxygen from the air, much like the lungs of vertebrates. Although adult land crabs spend most of their lives on land, they make periodic visits to the sea, where they breed and the larval crabs develop. Land crabs live in tropical and subtropical regions, where they can cause considerable damage to crops. See also Coconut Crab.

Scientific classification: Land crabs belong to the family Gecarcinidae, of the subphylum Crustacea.