Hermit crab

A beautiful day at one of the most remote places on Earth – Aldabra, in the Indian Ocean – is perfect for a walk up a palm tree. This coconut crab is unlike other hermit crabs. Instead of using salvaged shells from other animals to protect itself, this one grows a hardened skin once it matures. The skin allows it to grow without the restrictions of a shell.
© Jan Vermeer, Coconut Crab Going Up - Shell Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2006, owned by the Natural History Museum and BBC Wildlife Magazine and sponsored by Shell, the 2007 exhibition open on 27 October.