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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.
Calcinus guamensis is a small hermit crab with a maximum shell width of about 6 mm (0.24 in). It is easily recognized by its coloration of a mustard brown or olive that fades into white, with its walking legs dipped in black. [5]
Larger crabs or crabs with less suitable shells will often forcibly remove other crabs with more desirable shells by clasping the chelae, or legs, of the occupant with its pincers, which allows them to takeover the desired shell. [4] [12] Along with predation, shell availability is a major factor in determining P. longicarpus population size. [7]
When choosing a new shell, this hermit crab prefers a globose shell, especially Turbo and Nerita. In Hawaii, the shells of Trochus intextus and Turbo sandwicensis are often used, while in South Africa, an empty Lunella coronata shell is favoured. [2] This is an aggressive hermit crab species which is prepared to fight for empty shells or other ...
Pagurus samuelis is a small hermit crab, at up to a total length of 40 mm (1.6 in) and a carapace width of up to 19 mm (0.75 in). [2] The base colour of the exoskeleton is brown or green, [2] but the antennae are red, and adults have bright blue bands near the tips of their legs. [3] In smaller individuals, the bands may be white. [2]
The shells of hermit crabs, primarily composed of calcium carbonate, are easily susceptible to a decline in pH. Low pH environments degrade calcium carbonate rapidly, creating a large amount of structural instability within the hermit crab’s primary defense system. Without proper protection from sturdy shells and a decline in the number of ...
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