Green Nature

Hermit Crabs

picture of a hermit crab


Hermit Crabs (Pachygrapsus crassipes) are common residents of both sandy and rocky intertidal zones.

They are well known for being the crustaceans that borrow shells for their residence.

With hundreds of different hermit crab species found world-wide, different species can measure anywhere from an inch to a foot in length.

As they grow, they replace one borrowed shell home for a larger version. A large hermit crab such as the white-spotted hermit crab of Hawaii might need a shell over a foot long.

Finding them in intertidal zones is often as easy as looking for a moving shell.

The top picture shows a blue-banded hermit crab (Pagurus samuelis). It is a fairly small crab with blue bands on the legs.

© 2008 Patricia A. Michaels