Hermit crabs are anomuran decapod crustaceans of the superfamily Paguroidea that have adapted to occupy empty scavenged mollusc shells to protect their fragile exoskeletons. There are over 800 species of hermit crab, most of which possess an asymmetric abdomen concealed by a snug-fitting shell. Hermit crabs' soft (non-calcified) abdominal exoskeleton means they must occupy shelter produced by other organisms or risk being defenseless.
The halloween hermit crab, also known as the striped hermit crab or orange-legged hermit crab, is a brightly colored aquatic hermit crab of the family Diogenidae. Besides its ability to routinely clean algae in aquaria, the halloween hermit crab's festive striped coloration also appeals to enthusiasts; it is considered the most brightly colored hermit crab in normal aquarium use.
Paguristes cadenati, the red reef hermit crab or scarlet hermit crab, is a small species of hermit crab with a bright red body and yellow eyestalks that lives in the Caribbean Sea. The specific name honours the French ichthyologist Jean Cadenat (1908-1992), who collected the type specimen and sent it to the French carcinologist Jacques Forest, who described it as a new species.
Clibanarius tricolor is a hermit crab that lives in shallow water of the Caribbean Sea and is popular in the home aquarium trade. Its common names include blue-legged hermit crab, tricolor hermit crab, blueleg reef hermit crab, equal handed hermit crab and blueleg hermit crab.
Calcinus is a genus of hermit crabs in the family Diogenidae, containing the following species:
Calcinus elegans, also known as the blue line hermit crab, is a small, tropical hermit crab.
Dardanus pedunculatus, commonly referred to as the anemone hermit crab, is a species of hermit crab from the Indo-Pacific region. It lives at depths of up to 27 m and collects sea anemones to place on its shell for defence.
Vermicularia knorrii, commonly known as the Florida worm snail, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod in the family Turritellidae. V. knorrii has been concluded to be the junior synonym to Vermicularia lumbricalis. The shell of Florida worm snail is light brown or tan in color with an apex that is white. It is found living in reefs on the coasts of the southern states of the United States to the top of South America. V. knorri use their ciliated appendages to trap plankton and sperm.
Calcinus tubularis is a species of hermit crab. It is found in the Mediterranean Sea and around islands in the Atlantic Ocean, where it lives below the intertidal zone. Its carapace, eyestalks and claws are marked with numerous red spots. C. tubularis and its sister species, C. verrilli, are the only hermit crabs known to show sexual dimorphism in shell choice, with males using normal marine gastropod shells, while females use shells of gastropods in the family Vermetidae, which are attached to rocks or other hard substrates.
Carpilius maculatus, common names seven-eleven crab, spotted reef crab, dark-finger coral crab, and large spotted crab, is a species of crab in the family Carpiliidae, which also includes C. convexus and C. corallinus. While there have reports of the C. maculatus as being poisonous, biochemical testing has revealed that they lack any paralytic shellfish toxins.
Calcinus verrillii, commonly known as Verrill's hermit crab, is a species of hermit crab in the genus Calcinus which is endemic to Bermuda. It was first described by the American zoologist Mary J. Rathbun and named in honour of the American zoologist Addison Emery Verrill, who spent much time with his students studying the geology and marine fauna of Bermuda.
Calcinus laevimanus is a species of hermit crab in the genus Calcinus found in the Indo-West Pacific region, the type locality being Hawaii.
Calcinus morgani, commonly known as Morgan's hermit crab, is a species of hermit crab in the family Diogenidae found in the Indo-West Pacific region, the type locality being Indonesia.
Dardanus deformis is a species of nocturnal hermit crab that is found in the Indo-Pacific. Its common name is pale anemone hermit. The species is known to transfer sea anemones from one shell to another when it moves to a different shell. It can be kept in an aquarium.
Heterocyathus is a genus of coral of the family Caryophylliidae.
Calcinus seurati, commonly known as Seurat's hermit crab or whitebanded hermit, is a species of hermit crab in the family Diogenidae. It was first described by French carcinologist Jacques Forest in 1951.
Opheodesoma spectabilis is a synaptid sea cucumber in the Indo-Pacific that can be locally very abundant.
Calcinus argus, also known as the Argus hermit crab, is a species of hermit crabs in the family Calcinidae described by David Wooster in 1984. Originating from the Indo-West Pacific near Hawaii.
Calcinus laurentae is a species of left-handed hermit crab in the family Diogenidae. The common name for Calcinus laurentae is Laurent's Hermit Crab or Redleg calcinus. Calcinus laurentae are native to Hawaii and the Hawaiian word for hermit crab is unauna.
Calcinus revi, commonly known as the white hermit crab, is a species of hermit crabs in the family Calcinidae.
