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Hermit crab Facts

Hermit crab Facts
Hermit crab is crustacean that belongs to the superfamily Paguroidea which includes 7 different families of hermit crabs. There are around 1100 species of hermit crab that can be found all over the world. Most types of hermit crabs are adapted to the life in the ocean, while some species spend their life on the solid ground. Marine hermit crabs can be found both in the shallow coastal waters and in a deep sea, while terrestrial species usually inhabit tropical areas. Caribbean, Ecuadorian, strawberry and tawny hermit crab are some of the most popular species of hermit crab that are often collected from the wild and sold as pets.
Interesting Hermit crab Facts:
Hermit crab can reach 0.5 to 16 inches in length, depending on the species.
Hermit crab is usually reddish, orange or brown-colored, with or without purple spots on the body.
Hermit crab has soft, asymmetrical abdomen, 10 legs and 2 large claws. Left claw is larger and it serves as a weapon against predators such as cuttlefish, squid, octopus and different types of fish.
Hermit crab uses different types of abandoned shells, usually of sea snails, to protect its soft body and provide moist environment for its gills.
Hermit crab has two long ocular stalks with eyes on the top and antennas which serve as sensory organs.
Both marine and land hermit crabs use gills for breathing. Land hermit crabs require very humid air (with at least 70% of humidity) to survive. Despite well-developed gills, land hermit crabs cannot breathe under the water.
Hermit crab is nocturnal creature.
Hermit crab is an omnivore. Its diet is based on fish and sea invertebrates. Fruit, vegetables, meat, leaves and bark are often consumed in the captivity.
Despite its name, hermit crab is not a solitary creature. It lives in large colonies of 100 or more animals.
Hermit crabs often exchange and occasionally fight with other hermit crabs to conquer better shells.
All types of hermit crabs mate in the ocean.
Female carries around 200 fertilized eggs attached to her abdomen until they hatch. Larvae emerge from the eggs usually after few weeks and float on the surface of the ocean during the first few days of their life. Larvae undergo several development stages before they transform into juvenile hermit crabs. Terrestrial hermit crabs need to find suitable shells before they become ready to leave the water and start their life on the solid ground.
Hermit crab "migrates" from one shell to another as it grows (each new shell is bigger than the previous one).
Young hermit crabs moult every few months, while adults moult once every 18 months.
Hermit crab has an average lifespan of 15 to 20 years in the captivity. Some land hermit crabs, such as Coenobita brevimanus, can survive from 12 to 70 years.


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