CIBED - - Forest Hermit-landcrab

Coenobita spinosus Forest Hermit-landcrab Unga Pūtua ^AK

f.COENOBITIDAE Land-hermitcrabs

Coenobita spinosus Forest Hermit-landcrab Unga Pūtua ^AK

f.COENOBITIDAE Land-hermitcrabs

Cook Islands Status Summary

Show Notes

Intl. NamesForest Hermit‑landcrab ^EN

Local NamesUnga Pūtua^AK Unga?^RK

Pacific NamesNo Content

Sci. NamesCoenobita spinosus (accepted name) , Coenobita spinosa

High Tax. Eng.k.Animals, p.Arthropods, sp.Crustaceans, f.Land-hermitcrabs - Hermit Crab

High Tax. Latink.ANIMALIA, p.ARTHROPODA, sp.CRUSTACEA, c.MALACOSTRACA, sc.EUMALACOSTRACA, spo.Eucarida, o.Decapoda, so.Pleocyemata, io.Anomura, spf.Paguroidea, f.COENOBITIDAE

Natl. PresencePresent

Sth. PresenceRR^P?MG?AT?MK?MT?AK^PPL?MN?TK?

Nth. PresenceTN?MH?RK?PK?NS?SW?

VouchersCIS¹⁹⁸⁰

Local OriginNative; Resident

Global RangeNative: N.Cal. - Vanuatu - Fiji - Saoma/Tonga - Cooks - PF to Marquesas/Mangareva - Pitcairn; also Madagascar - Mauritius;

HabitatLand and Aquatic; Lowlands; Marine; Nearshore

ThreatenedNo Content

InvasivenessNo Content

BiosecurityNo Content

Medical StatusNo Content

Harmful StatusNo Content

UsesFlesh food

IdentificationNo Content

Similar SpeciesCoenobita cavipes similar but claw hairs 1-few (vs. tufts)

Interest NoteNo Content

Show All Notes

Multimedia & Other Resources

Photographs: 8
Video: 0
Audio: 0
Documents: 0
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5AS035_Coen-spin_

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Adult

Adult with dark patch on claw

Adult 2

Adult 3

Adult

Emerging from shell; dark patch on claw

Abdomen inside glass jar

Using small coconut shell

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Adult (jpg)
Adult with dark patch on claw (jpg)
Adult 2 (jpg)
Adult 3 (jpg)
Adult (jpg)
Emerging from shell; dark patch on claw (jpg)
Abdomen inside glass jar (jpg)
Using small coconut shell (jpg)

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Vernacular Names

English and International Names

Forest Hermit-landcrab ^EN

Pacific Names

No Pacific Names

Local Names

Unga Pūtua^AK Unga?^RK

National Name: Unga Pūtua ^AK

Island	Status	Main name
National name	AK	Unga Pūtua
Rarotonga	P?	?P,?N
Mangaia		?P,?N
Ātiu		?P,?N
Ma‘uke		?P,?N
Miti‘āro		?P,?N
Aitutaki	P	Unga Pūtua
Palmerston		?P,?N
Tongareva-write		?P,?N
Tongareva-speak		?P,?N
Manihiki		?P,?N
Rakahanga		Unga?
Pukapuka		A,nN
Nassau		?P,?N

National Distribution & Vouchers

National Presence:

Present

Oceanic

islands: [ , {label: 'Rarotonga', stroke: '#006600', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GWR', tris: '#ACACAC', trif: '#ffffff', top: 404.5, left: 210.5, labelLeft: 222, labelTop: 404} , {label: 'Mangaia', stroke: '#0000a0', fill: '#fff', symbol: 'WR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 427.5, left: 261.5, labelLeft: 274, labelTop: 426} , {label: 'Ātiu', stroke: '#0000a0', fill: '#fff', symbol: 'WR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 372.5, left: 261.5, labelLeft: 244, labelTop: 382} , {label: 'Ma‘uke', stroke: '#0000a0', fill: '#fff', symbol: 'WR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 374.5, left: 282.5, labelLeft: 284, labelTop: 385} , {label: 'Miti‘āro', stroke: '#0000a0', fill: '#fff', symbol: 'WR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 358.5, left: 274.5, labelLeft: 283, labelTop: 351} , {label: 'Aitutaki', stroke: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 334.5, left: 210.5, labelLeft: 209, labelTop: 321} , {label: 'Palmerston', stroke: '#0000a0', fill: '#fff', symbol: 'WR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 309.5, left: 112.5, labelLeft: 124, labelTop: 309} , {label: 'Manuae', stroke: '#0000a0', fill: '#fff', symbol: 'WR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 346.5, left: 234.5, labelLeft: 244, labelTop: 338} , {label: 'Takūtea', stroke: '#0000a0', fill: '#fff', symbol: 'WR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 362.5, left: 254.5, labelLeft: 211, labelTop: 363} , {label: 'Tongareva', stroke: '#0000a0', fill: '#fff', symbol: 'WR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 32.5, left: 260.5, labelLeft: 205, labelTop: 31} , {label: 'Manihiki', stroke: '#0000a0', fill: '#fff', symbol: 'WR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 80.5, left: 175.5, labelLeft: 187, labelTop: 80} , {label: 'Rakahanga', stroke: '#0000a0', fill: '#fff', symbol: 'WR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 63.5, left: 173.5, labelLeft: 186, labelTop: 63} , {label: 'Pukapuka', stroke: '#0000a0', fill: '#fff', symbol: 'WR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 88.5, left: 33.5, labelLeft: 45, labelTop: 88} , {label: 'Nassau', stroke: '#0000a0', fill: '#fff', symbol: 'WR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 108.5, left: 46.5, labelLeft: 59, labelTop: 108} , {label: 'Suwarrow', stroke: '#0000a0', fill: '#fff', symbol: 'WR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 162.5, left: 115.5, labelLeft: 127, labelTop: 162} ] , legend: [{label: 'Not Assessed', top: 235, stroke: '#0000a0', fill: '#ffffff', symbol: 'WR', tris: '', trif: ''}, {label: 'Present', top: 250, stroke: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', tris: '', trif: ''}, {label: '? Present', top: 265, stroke: '#006600', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GWR', tris: '#ACACAC', trif: '#ffffff'}, {label: 'Absent', top: 280, stroke: '#C00000', fill: '#CC0000', symbol: 'RR', tris: '', trif: ''}, {label: '? Absent', top: 295, stroke: '#C00000', fill: '#CC0000', symbol: 'RWR', tris: '#c0c0c0', trif: '#ffffff'}, {label: 'Intercepted', top: 312, stroke: '#990000', fill: '#CC0000', symbol: 'RDR', tris: '#000000', trif: '#000000'}, {label: 'Extirpated/Extinct', top: 331, stroke: '#006600', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'RGR', tris: '#660000', trif: '#CC0000'} ]

Island	Status
Rarotonga	Present ?
Mangaia
Ātiu
Ma‘uke
Miti‘āro
Aitutaki	Present
Palmerston
Manuae
Takūtea
Tongareva
Manihiki
Rakahanga
Pukapuka
Nassau
Suwarrow

Vouchers for:
Coenobita spinosus

Cook Islands _____ 1980 1csP specimen+photo specimen+photo, 1980s, J.Uffindell, JU-108, in Te Papa Museum - check spinosa?cavipes

Southern

Northern

Oceanic

Rarotonga

Mangaia

Ātiu

Ma‘uke

Miti‘āro

Aitutaki

Palmerston

Manuae

Takūtea

Tongareva

Manihiki

Rakahanga

Pukapuka

Nassau

Suwarrow

Identification

Local Origin and Global Range

Habitat

Threatened

Invasive/Pest Status

Biosecurity

Medicinal

Species Uses

References

Citation Information

McCormack, Gerald (2026) Cook Islands Biodiversity & Ethnobiology Database, Version 2026.05.02 - Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust, Rarotonga. Online at https://naturalheritage.gov.ck/cibed
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Cook Islands Status Summary

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Vernacular Names

English and International Names

Pacific Names

Scientific Names and Taxonomy

Accepted Name

Synonyms

National Distribution & Vouchers

Vouchers for:
Coenobita spinosus

Identification

Local Origin and Global Range

Habitat

Threatened

Invasive/Pest Status

Biosecurity

Medicinal

Species Uses

References

Citation Information

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Cook Islands Status Summary

Multimedia & Other Resources

Vernacular Names

Accepted Name

Synonyms

Vouchers for: Coenobita spinosus

Citation Information

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Vouchers for:
Coenobita spinosus