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A hermit crab emerges from its shell, Coenobita perlatus Outside its shell, the soft, curved abdomen of hermit crabs, such as Pagurus bernhardus, is vulnerable. Hermit crab species range in size and shape, from species only a few millimeters long to Coenobita brevimanus (Indos Crab), which can approach the size of a coconut and live 12–70 years.
The coconut crab (Birgus latro) is a terrestrial species of giant hermit crab, and is also known as the robber crab or palm thief. It is the largest terrestrial arthropod known, with a weight of up to 4.1 kg (9 lb). The distance from the tip of one leg to the tip of another can be as wide as 1 m (3 ft 3 in).
A Caribbean hermit crab in the Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida. The Caribbean hermit crab (Coenobita clypeatus), also known as the soldier crab, [2] West Atlantic crab, tree crab, or purple pincher (due to the distinctive purple claw), is a species of land hermit crab native to the west Atlantic, Belize, southern Florida, [3] Venezuela, and the West Indies.
Coenobita brevimanus is a species of terrestrial hermit crab belonging to the family Coenobitidae, which is composed of coastal living terrestrial hermit crabs. From there it belongs to the genus Coenobita , one of two genera split from the family, which contains sixteen species.
Hermit crabs cannot produce their own shells, and therefore must scavenge for abandoned ones. [ 5 ] [ 6 ] [ 7 ] Shell selection plays many crucial roles in P. longicarpus , such as providing protection from predators, desiccation and salinity stress, as well as influencing competition, population size, and reproductive behaviors in the species.
While typically reclusive, hermit crabs will on occasion forge a relationship with other marine organisms. Some cnidarians use the hard surface of hermit crab shells to settle and grow polyps . The cnidaria aid in defending the crab from predators using their stinging cnidae and may reduce the need for frequent shell exchange.
Intrigued — and somewhat concerned — researchers scoured the internet for images of hermit crabs using human trash instead of natural shells, the study said. They found almost 400 examples.
The Australian land hermit crab (Coenobita variabilis) reaches a carapace length of 40 millimetres (1.6 in). [2]They closely resemble the Pacific hermit crab (Coenobita compressus) in appearance and they both have a shortened aquatic development stage.