land crab

plural land crabs

1. Any of the land-based crabs of the family Gecarcinidae.

   1 more example

   'No,' said the lad, he was not afraid; he thought they never had seen any sign of his being afraid, or using tricks as the land crabs might do, and he would prove it to them, for now he would go with them in the ship, but on the condition that they bought three cords of birch logs, exactly measured, and that he was to have the command of the ship, as if he was the skipper, on a certain day.

   1886, Peter Christen Asbjørnsen, translated by H.L. Brækstad, Folk and Fairy Tales, page 187

2. Any of various other crabs of terrestrial habits, such as of the families Gecarcinucidae and Sesarmidae.