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Land Hermit Crab
Order: Decapoda
Family: Coenobitidea
Genus: Coenobita
Species: perlatus
Range & Habitat
Indo-Pacific from the Islands of Aldabra, Mauritius and Seychelles through Samoa. These areas are located in the south central Pacific Ocean. They are never far from shore or adjacent dunes, and have been found in tidal pools, sandy areas and humid areas with dune vegetation.
Reproduction & Growth
They reproduce sexually and will not reproduce in captivity. Reproduction occurs while both individuals are in intermolt (hard-shelled stage), often in or near the burrows of males or on land near the sea. After the eggs develop, females carry them on their abdomens to the beach, where they leave them on wet sand or a wet rock for the tide to carry them out to sea. The eggs are hatched and the larvae undergo planktonic development. The young are small, molting several times while still at sea in order to reach adult size. They then move to land, where they are vulnerable to their predators until they find a shell. Once they have found shells, they live on land the rest of their lives. Land hermit crabs can live up to 25-30 years in the wild, but once in captivity they typically live from 1-4 years.
Diet
In the Wild: Known as "garbage collectors of the seashore," individuals are scavengers, eating a variety of dead and rotting material found along the seashore.
In the Zoo: Salad and hermit crab meal
General Information
Land hermit crabs have been observed communicating to one anther by making sounds referred to as chirping. They use their antennae to sense smells and vibration. They have excellent vision. Most hermit crabs carry water in their shells, which they use for breathing and as a water source when they are far from the sea. They can be used as a source of food for humans, but are most commonly found as household pets. They also play a vital role in the seashore clean-up because they are scavengers. They travel in groups of about 25 and are found, in the wild, living in colonies of up to 100 or more. These crabs are largely nocturnal, as the sun can dry them out, suffocating them. When they no longer fit their shells they look for bigger ones. They original occupant of the shell, if still present, is quickly removed, and the aggressor moves into its new home. If frightened, land hermit crabs may grasp things tightly with their claws. Even the smallest one can draw blood if scared. These land hermit crabs are decapods, which means they have 10 legs (five pairs): The first pair is pinchers, then two pairs for walking. The claws are used for defense and transporting food and water to their mouth. The last two pairs are used for cleaning. When walking, these crabs drag their shells along, but despite this burden, they can run quickly.
In the Zoo
Currently we have two Land Hermit Crabs in the zoo.
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