Species of Hermit Crabs

Hermit crabs are ten legged crustaceans and belong to the Paguroidea super family. The name suggests there relation with the crabs, but it is not exactly so. These crustaceans are commonly seen in tide pools and other intertidal zones.

If we talk about the anatomy, then most of them have soft and long abdomens. These have a protection in the form of seashell. This is what they carry on their back, can contain them in it completely and hence helps them protect from the predators. These shells are generally taken from other creatures, the sea snails. This shelter is temporary as the hermit crab has to abandon it as it grows in size and has to look for another bigger shell. The crustacean has been given the name ‘hermit crab’ because of its habit of living in second hand shell.

There are over five hundred species of hermit crabs known so far. Of these most are aquatic livings in ocean salt water with varying depths. There is terrestrial category of this creature which belongs to the tropical areas of earth.

Different regions of the earth have different species of hermit crabs and different number of the categories. In the United States, only a few species are available. Japan is known to have only two local species and the other pet hermit crabs are brought from other nations. Whereas in Australia, the popular category being the C. variabili and C. perlatus.

Some Hermit Crab Species

There is always the requirement of knowledge of the pet you want to keep. There are numerous species of the hermit crabs in the wild. Apart from that, the below given list has some information about some of the common species of hermit crabs which can be found easily in the pet stores.

  • Coenobita brevimanus.
    This species of the hermit crabs originate from the east coast of Africa and also from the south western Pacific Ocean coast. It is second biggest in the Coenobitidae family after the Birgus latro family. The body has eyes like spheres with dark stalks. The exoskeleton is brown or dark purple.

 

  • Coenobita cavipes.
    This species of the hermit crabs find their native place in Asian countries and the east part of Africa. These prefer to live in the forests and to the beach shore when they have their mating time. Compared to other hermit crabs, they molt frequently and like eating fruits. The color of their body is brown or orange.

 

  • . Coenobita compressus.
    This is another species of the hermit crab which you can easily locate at a pet store. Also referred to as The Pacific Hermit Crab or the Ecuadorian Hermit Crab, this species of the hermit crabs is the one which is smallest among all their species. Their maximum size is around 12 mm. They can walk very fast and have all the chances of escape. They are found in colors orange, yellow or dark grey.

 

  • Coenobita clypeatus.
    This category has a life of around 30 to 40 years. Popularly known as Carribean Hermit Crab, purple pincher, tree crab or the soldier crab, it lives in the Carribean Sea and is also found in Venezuela, Florida and a few other places. If you are considering hermit crab as a pet option, then it is the most common species.

 

  • Coenobita rugosus.
    These are also known as ruggie and flourished along the east African, Australian, and the south western Pacific coasts. They make sound like the chirping of the birds when they are frightened. This sound is the result of their pincer being rubbed to the shell. They have different colors pertaining to different diets they have. The common colors of this species are black, tan, brown, green pink or white.

 

  • Coenobita perlatus.
    Also known as Strawberry Hermit Crabs, these are found in Australia and can be located in the United States as well. The name is so as they have small white spots on red color, like strawberries. They are generally pale red, white or pale orange when young. When they turn adult, they develop the bright red color. They have more life when kept as pet compared to their life in the wild.

Some other content you might like to look at:

  1. Different Species of Hermit Crabs around the World
  2. The Cause Why Hermit Crab Shells are Turning White
  3. Hermit the Crab
  4. My Hermit Crabs are Locked Together over a Shell Fight
  5. Hermit Crabs