纪录片《南太平洋》 第10期 大洋小岛（10）

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 hermit¹ crab² 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 crabs³ 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 crustaceans⁴ seem to have filled a niche⁵ 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

Coconuts⁷ are one of their favourite foods -

椰肉是盗蟹的最爱

it's why they're also called "coconut⁶ 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 den⁸.

它们能将椰子带回到5公里外的巢穴

1 hermit   

n.隐士，修道者；隐居

参考例句：

• He became a hermit after he was dismissed from office.他被解职后成了隐士。
• Chinese ancient landscape poetry was in natural connections with hermit culture.中国古代山水诗与隐士文化有着天然联系。

2 crab   

n.螃蟹，偏航，脾气乖戾的人，酸苹果；vi.捕蟹，偏航，发牢骚；vt.使偏航，发脾气

参考例句：

• I can't remember when I last had crab.我不记得上次吃蟹是什么时候了。
• The skin on my face felt as hard as a crab's back.我脸上的皮仿佛僵硬了，就象螃蟹的壳似的。

3 crabs   

n.蟹( crab的名词复数 )；阴虱寄生病；蟹肉v.捕蟹( crab的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• As we walked along the seashore we saw lots of tiny crabs. 我们在海岸上散步时看到很多小蟹。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The fish and crabs scavenge for decaying tissue. 鱼和蟹搜寻腐烂的组织为食。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 crustaceans   

n.甲壳纲动物（如蟹、龙虾）( crustacean的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• These crustaceans provide a valuable food source for some fish. 这些甲壳纲动物是某些鱼类重要的食物来源。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• When the tide ebbs it's a rock pool inhabited by crustaceans. 退潮时，它便成为甲壳动物居住的岩石区潮水潭。 来自辞典例句

5 niche   

n.壁龛；合适的职务(环境、位置等)

参考例句：

• Madeleine placed it carefully in the rocky niche. 玛德琳小心翼翼地把它放在岩石壁龛里。
• The really talented among women would always make their own niche.妇女中真正有才能的人总是各得其所。

6 coconut   

n.椰子

参考例句：

• The husk of this coconut is particularly strong.椰子的外壳很明显非常坚固。
• The falling coconut gave him a terrific bang on the head.那只掉下的椰子砰地击中他的脑袋。

7 coconuts   

n.椰子( coconut的名词复数 )；椰肉，椰果

参考例句：

• We found a bountiful supply of coconuts on the island. 我们发现岛上有充足的椰子供应。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Coconuts provide "meat", drink, oil, soap and fiber for fishing line. 椰子提供“肉类”，饮料、油脂、肥皂和做钓（鱼）丝的纤维。 来自百科语句

8 den   

n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室

参考例句：

• There is a big fox den on the back hill.后山有一个很大的狐狸窝。
• The only way to catch tiger cubs is to go into tiger's den.不入虎穴焉得虎子。