Halloween hermit crab

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Halloween hermit crab
Trizopargurus striatus.JPG
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Malacostraca
Order: Decapoda
Suborder: Pleocyemata
Infraorder: Anomura
Family: Diogenidae
Genus: Ciliopagurus
Species:
C. strigatus
Binomial name
Ciliopagurus strigatus
(Herbst, 1804) [1]
Synonyms   [2]
  • Cancer strigatusHerbst, 1804
  • Pagurus strigatus(Herbst, 1804)
  • Aniculus strigatus(Herbst, 1804)
  • Trizopagurus strigatus(Herbst, 1804)
  • Pagurus annulipesH. Milne-Edwards, 1848

The halloween hermit crab (Ciliopagurus strigatus), also known as the striped hermit crab [3] or orange-legged hermit crab, [4] 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; [5] it is considered the most brightly colored hermit crab in normal aquarium use. [6]

Contents

Characteristics

The halloween hermit crab is commonly found along coral substrates in the ocean, [7] along sandy areas surrounding reefs, but not typically on top of the reefs, [4] in shallow (less than 50 feet or 15 metres) tropical, coastal waters. [8] It is native to the Indo-Pacific region, including the Red Sea [3] and Hawaii. [6] [9] It is very similar in appearance to three other species in the same genus: C. tricolor , C. vakovako , and C. galzini , only distinguishable by the color of its striae. [10]

The halloween hermit crab typically grows to 2 inches (5.1 cm) in length, [3] [8] which is fairly large in comparison to other hermit crabs. [6] It has a noticeably flattened, pure white shield, about .315 inches (8 mm) long. [11] It is a nocturnal species, [3] and has been described as "conspicuous". [11] It lives primarily in empty cone shells, [3] mainly those of snails or tritons. [9] Like other hermit crabs, it wears shells to protect itself from predators. [8] Its ocular peduncles and antennae are a solid orange and the antennal flagella are transparent. The propodus has parallel ridges on the palm, with similar ridges on the dactyls (the movable part of the pincers). [7] The halloween hermit crab can live for up to 10 years. [6] [8]

Coloration

The halloween hermit crab is well known for its distinct and vibrant coloration. [8] It has been described as an unusual hermit crab [12] and the brightest of the hermit crabs typically available, [5] with vividly colored walking legs, [12] a red body, and alternating horizontal bright orange and white bands, [8] giving it the likeness of the festive colors [5] of Halloween. [8] These characteristics make the Halloween hermit crab attractive to aquarists. [5]

Diet

The halloween hermit crab is omnivorous [6] and a scavenger, [4] eating nearly anything that appears in its environment, [6] including small animals. [4] It feeds on live and dead animal material, [3] including filamentous algae and detritus. [6] If a halloween hermit crab's shell is too small, it may attack a snail for a larger shell. [9] The halloween hermit crab can eat quickly. [13]

Use in aquaria

Aquarium owners may use the halloween hermit crab because it is visually unlike other aquarium-cleaning crabs. It can eat any leftover food that settles along the bottom, sifts through the sand, which aerates the aquarium substrate, and is well known to eat cyanobacteria, unsightly brown bacteria, and filamentous green algae efficiently. Because it can become aggressive towards other tank animals and may even kill fish and other invertebrates, [6] feeding it meats, such as clams, mussels, scallops and shrimp along with various vegetation may reduce this behavior. [4] Overall, it can support a healthy aquarium environment. [9]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hermit crab</span> Superfamily of crustaceans (Paguroidea)

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diogenidae</span> Family of crustaceans

The Diogenidae are a family of hermit crabs, sometimes known as "left-handed hermit crabs" because in contrast to most other hermit crabs, its left chela (claw) is enlarged instead of the right. It comprises 429 extant species, and a further 46 extinct species, making it the second-largest family of marine hermit crabs, after the Paguridae.

<i>Calcinus elegans</i> Species of crustacean

Calcinus elegans, also known as the blue line hermit crab, is a small, tropical hermit crab.

<i>Dardanus pedunculatus</i> Species of crustacean

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.

<i>Dardanus megistos</i> Species of crustacean

Dardanus megistos, the white-spotted hermit crab or spotted hermit crab, is a species of hermit crab belonging to the family Diogenidae.

<i>Clibanarius fonticola</i> Species of crustacean

Clibanarius fonticola is a species of hermit crab from Vanuatu. It lives exclusively in fresh water, the only hermit crab in the world to do so. While a number of other hermit crabs are terrestrial or live in estuarine habitats, and certain brackish water species can tolerate low salinity levels for a time, no other hermit crab spends its entire life in fresh water; the only other fully freshwater anomurans are the South American aeglids.

<i>Ciliopagurus</i> Genus of crustaceans

Ciliopagurus is a genus of hermit crabs, of the family Diogenidae, which are sometimes referred to as the "left-handed hermit crabs", because in contrast to most other hermit crabs, the left chela (claw) is enlarged instead of the right. They are found in the Indo-Pacific region and in the eastern Atlantic Ocean.

Ciliopagurus liui is a species of hermit crab native to the Gulf of Tonkin and waters to the south of Japan.

Ciliopagurus tricolor is a species of hermit crab native to Madagascar. It is one of four species in the "strigatus complex", having morphological similarities to C. strigatus, with the most prominent variance being coloration.

<i>Ciliopagurus galzini</i> Species of crustacean

Ciliopagurus galzini is a species of hermit crab. It is one of four species in the "strigatus complex"; it resembles C. strigatus, with the most prominent difference being coloration. It is common in the shallow intertidal waters of the Tuamotus.

Ciliopagurus substriatiformis was a species of hermit crab that existed during the Badenian stage.

Ciliopagurus vakovako is a species of hermit crab native to the Marquesas Islands. It is typically found at a depth no lower than 57 metres (187 ft). C. vakovako appears to be a vicariant of C. strigatus, a species widespread throughout the Indo-pacific region.

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.

<i>Dardanus venosus</i> Species of crustacean

Dardanus venosus, the starry-eyed crab or stareye crab, is a species of hermit crab in the family Diogenidae. It occurs in shallow water on the eastern coasts of America from Florida southward to Brazil. It is sometimes kept in reef aquaria.

<i>Aniculus maximus</i> Species of crustacean

Aniculus maximus, the hairy yellow hermit crab or large hairy hermit crab, is an aquatic hermit crab of the family Diogenidae.

<i>Diogenes heteropsammicola</i> Species of crustaceans

Diogenes heteropsammicola is a species of hermit crab discovered during samplings between 2012 and 2016 in the shallow waters of the Japanese Amami Islands. This D. heteropsammicola is strongly associated with the walking corals. This hermit crab species is unique due to the discovery that they use living, growing coral as a shell. The live in the inside of the coral and vary from other types of hermits. Crustaceans of this type commonly replace their shell as the organism grows in size, but D. heteropsammicola are the first of their kind to use solitary corals as a shell form. Heteropsammia and Heterocyathus are the two solitary corals that this hermit species has been observed as occupying. These two coral species are also used as a home by symbiotic Sipuncula of the genus Aspidosiphon, which normally occupy the corals that were previously occupied by crabs.

<i>Dardanus deformis</i> Species of crustacean

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.

<i>Heterocyathus</i> Genus of coral

Heterocyathus is a genus of coral of the family Caryophylliidae.

Aniculus hopperae is a species of hermit crab in the family Diogenidae.

<i>Aniculus aniculus</i> Species of hermit crab

Aniculus aniculus, the red hermit crab or scaly-legged hermit crab, is a species of aquatic hermit crab of the family Diogenidae. It is distributed across French Polynesia in the Gambier, Marquesas, Society, and Tuamotu archipelagoes. It has also been recorded in the Mozambique Channel and around Mauritius. Of the species in the genus Aniculus, only it and A. ursus are considered common. The species is the host of the parasitic isopod Parathelges aniculi, and it is one of several hermit crabs preyed upon by Nautilus macromphalus.

References

  1. ↑ "Ciliopagurus strigatus". Integrated Taxonomic Information System . Retrieved August 25, 2010.
  2. ↑ Patsy McLaughlin (2009). P. McLaughlin (ed.). "Ciliopagurus strigatus (Herbst, 1804)". World Paguroidea database. World Register of Marine Species . Retrieved August 25, 2010.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Fenner, Bob. "Best Hermit Crab Species for Algae Control". Hermit Crabs, Use in the Marine Aquarium Hobby. WetWebMedia. Retrieved 21 August 2010.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "Halloween Hermit Crab". Crabs. Blue Zoo Aquatics. Retrieved 21 August 2010.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Halloween Hermit Crab". Saltwater Aquarium Cleaner Crabs. Aquatic Connection. Retrieved 21 August 2010.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Dunder, Jonathon. "Halloween Hermit Crab". Aquaripure. Free Information Society. Archived from the original on 13 August 2011. Retrieved 21 August 2010.
  7. 1 2 Richmond, Matthew D. (1997). A guide to the seashores of Eastern Africa and the Western Indian ocean islands. SIDA/Department for Research Cooperation, SAREC. p. 220. ISBN   9789163045943.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Different Species of Hermit Crabs around the World". Hermit Crab Club. Archived from the original on 23 April 2010. Retrieved 21 August 2010.
  9. 1 2 3 4 "Halloween Hermit Crab". LiveAquaria. Retrieved 21 August 2010.
  10. ↑ Poupin, Joseph; Maria Celia Malay (2009). "Identification of a Ciliopagurus strigatus (Herbst, 1804) species-complex, with description of a new species from French Polynesia (Crustacea, Decapoda, Anomura, Diogenidae)" (PDF). Zoosystema. 31 (2): 209–232. doi:10.5252/z2009n2a1. S2CID   85229277. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-19.
  11. 1 2 Davie, P. J. F. (2002). Zoological catalogue of Australia: Crustacea: Malocostraca: Eucarida (Part 2), Decapoda: Anomura, Brachyura. CSIRO Publishing. p. 43. ISBN   9780643067929.
  12. 1 2 Hoover, John P. (1998). Hawaii's sea creatures: a guide to Hawaii's marine invertebrates. Mutual Pub. p. 252. ISBN   9781566472203 . Retrieved 21 August 2010.
  13. ↑ Freshwater and marine aquarium , Volume 22, Issues 7-12. R/C Modeler Corp. 1999. Retrieved 21 August 2010.
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