Hermit crab
Hermit crab | |
---|---|
A hermit crab in Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | |
Phylum: | |
Subphylum: | |
Class: | |
Order: | |
Suborder: | |
Infraorder: | |
Superfamily: | Paguroidea Latreille, 1802
|
Families | |
Hermit crabs are decapod crustaceans of the superfamily Paguroidea, distinct from the true crabs in the infra-order Brachyura. Most hermit crabs salvage empty seashells to shelter and protect their soft abdomens. There are about five hundred known species of hermit crab in the world; although they are mostly aquatic, there are also some terrestrial species. A number of species, most notably king crabs, have abandoned seashells for a free-living life; these species have forms similar to true crabs and are known as carcinized hermit crabs.
There are several species of hermit crabs that are common in the marine aquarium trade. These omnivorous or herbivorous species are useful in the household aquarium as scavengers, eating algae and other debris.
The scarlet hermit crab, or red reef hermit crab (Paguristes cadenati), is a handsome and interesting species with a bright red body and yellow eyestalks, and stays rather small (about 2-5 cm / 1-2 inches across). Smaller species of a similar passive nature include the zebra hermit crab (brown legs with white bands), the red-tip crab and blue-legged crab.
In Europe, the common hermit crab (Pagurus bernhardus) is popular.
While most species available in pet stores are small like those listed above, and are simply scavengers, others may grow quite large (some on the Pacific coast can grow to 30 cm / 12 inches) and may eat coral, clams and other crustaceans. So be sure to ask if the species is not clearly marked.
Most hermit crabs will appreciate a salinity of between 1.023 and 1.025, and temperatures between 4 to 14 °C (temperate species) to 24 to 27 °C (tropical species), with a good bed, algae to graze on and a variety of shells to change into. They will happily switch shells frequently if given the opportunity - an interesting display to watch.
The terrestrial species most commonly kept as pets in the United States are the Caribbean hermit crab (Coenobita clypeatus) and the Pacific hermit crab (Coenobita compressus), also known as the Ecuadorian hermit crab. Other species such as Coenobita brevamanus, Coenobita rugosus, Coenobita perlatus, Coenobita cavipe are less common but growing in availabilty and popularity as pets. In Australia the only land hermit crabs kept as pets are Australian land hermit crab (Coenobita variabilis) and Strawberry land hermit crab (Coenobita perlatus) which are native to the country.
Hermit crab lifespans can vary greatly. In captivity, they usually live for about two to five years, but proper care can add an extra twenty or thirty years to their lives. There have been hermit crabs documented living over seventy years old, but these are most likely exceptional cases.
The fossil record of in situ hermit crabs using gastropod shells stretches back to the Late Cretaceous. Before that time, at least some hermit crabs used ammonites' shells instead, as shown by a specimen of Palaeopagurus vandenengeli from the Speeton Clay, Yorkshire, UK from the Lower Cretaceous [1].
Other species of hermit crab
- Birgus latro, coconut crab
- Coenobita brevimanus
- Coenobita cavipes
- Coenobita clypeatus
- Coenobita compressus
- Coenobita perlatus, Strawberry land hermit crab
- Coenobita purpureus
- Coenobita variabilis, Australian land hermit crab
- Coenobitidae
References
External links
- About Land Hermit Crabs, Information on how to keep your land hermit crabs healthy.
- All Things Crabby Hermit Crab Blog, Blog devoted to the care of land hermit crabs, Detailed Care Info, Useful Links, Chirping audio
- Carol of CrabWorks, Photos and sound files of two land hermit crabs that have lived for 28 years in captivity.
- Crab Street Journal, The Crab Street Journal is an online magazine for land hermit crab owners. It includes articles, caresheets, forums, photo galleries and species information.
- CrabbyTalk - Hermit Crab Care and Pictures, Photographs and hermit crab care information
- Epicurean Hermit, Diet and nutrition site for captive land hermit crabs
- Hermie Der Einsiedlerkrebs, Hermie.ch in Switzerland
- Hermit Crab Addiction, Blog and forum for care of land hermit crabs. Friendly and informative.
- Hermit Crab Association.com, the original Hermit Crab Association, founded in March 2001 with a worldwide membership of over 1000 people, annual conventions, etc.
- Hermit Crab Association, Detailed Care Info, Forums, Useful Links, Library of the best hermit crab sites on the web
- Hermit-Crabs.com, popular land hermit crab care site, #1 on Google.
- Hermit Crabs R us, An online forum for Hermit Crab owners
- Landhermitcrabs.com, Online land hermit crab community established in late 1990s. Very friendly site with a lot of members.
- Land Hermit Crabs.net, Detailed Care Info
- The Land Hermit Crab Owners Society, online society for land hermit crab owners
- Naturally Crabby, A Philosophy and how-to of Keeping Hermit Crabs, Beginners and Advanced
- Sherman's Lagoon, cartoon about a land hermit crab