纪录片《南太平洋》 第10期 大洋小岛(10)(在线收听

The biggest can weigh up to four kilograms - the same as a newborn baby

最大的体重超过4公斤,相当于一个新生儿

and have a leg span of one metre.

四肢跨度长达一米

It's a hermit crab on steroids.

它属于陆生寄居蟹科

At night, the huge "robbers" really come alive.

夜间,大盗活跃起来

Although these crabs are found throughout the Pacific,

虽然这种蟹在太平洋随处可见

it's only on undisturbed islands that you can see them in such numbers.

但只有在人迹罕至的小岛上才能看到数量如此众多的蟹群

Exactly why robber crabs have grown so big is a mystery,

盗蟹为何体型巨大仍是个谜

but with so few creatures making it to these remote islands,

由于只有少数动物才能涉足这些偏远的岛屿

the giant crustaceans seem to have filled a niche normally taken by medium-sized mammals.

大甲壳纲动物似乎填补了中型哺乳类动物所占据的位置

And with almost no competition from other native animals,

小岛上几乎没什么竞争可言

the crabs' huge size allows them to make the most of another great coloniser - something found here in abundance.

巨大的身躯使盗蟹能够充分利用岛上另一个重要的移民,一种岛上随处可见的东西

Coconuts are one of their favourite foods -

椰肉是盗蟹的最爱

it's why they're also called "coconut crabs" -

所以它们也被称为椰子蟹

and they've been known to carry them as far as three miles to a favourite den.

它们能将椰子带回到5公里外的巢穴

  原文地址:http://www.tingroom.com/lesson/jlpntpy/541199.html