Most Popular Land Hermit Crab Species
The Caribbean hermit crab (Coenobita clypeatus) /
Purple Pinchers, seem to be one of the hardiest and most popular species.
They are easily identifiable by their large purple pincher.
Purple Pinchers range in colour from light-tan to dark red, purple and even dark brown or black.
They do not have a uniform colour and their bodies often are a different and lighter in colour than their legs and pinchers.
There are no stitch-marks on their big pincher.
They have freckles or speckles on their walking legs that look like small black dots.
Whatever their overall color is, the big pincher always has a purplish cast.
The Ecuadorian, is a lively, active and sweet-looking species.
They, too, seem to be a hardy species. they love to dig and climb. they love to dig trenches, tunnels and holes just for the shear fun of it!
They are extremely social, and will openly greet you when handled.
They are easily identified by their elongated eyes, and candy-corn shaped eye stocks.
Another feature that some have stitch-marks on their big pincher.
The Coenobita rugosus,
look alot like an Ecuadorian.
They both have elongated eyes, & stitch-marks on their claws, though some Ecuadorians do not.
While comparing the big pincher of the two species, the Coenobita rugosus tend to have more colour variance and are more oval and flat, than round.
The Coenobita rugosus has a different temperament to the Ecuadorian. Mostly being shy. They are also far more fragile/delicate, particulary suffering with Post Purchase Stress
They are a beautiful species, their colours ranging from white to black....with every colour in between.
Coenobita rugosus share the friendly, sweet personality of a Purple Pincher and the active quality and warm eyes of an Ecuadorian.
New Species to the UK
Coenobita Brevimanus - Indo's,
They have long, narrow eye stalks, and are often mistaken for a Purple Pincher. Indo's tend to spend a lot of time with their own species.
They prefer not to be handled too much.
Indo's are shy and docile compared to other hermie species.
Coenobita Violascens - Viola
C. violascens is orange as a juvenile and turns dark blue, purple, or green-tinged black in adulthood.
It reaches 30 millimeters in length when mature. It has long, thick eye-stalks, and its eyes are slim and oval in shape. Its large claw is oblong and speckled with light colored bumps. The crab tends to choose shells that are long in shape.
Coenobita cavipes - Cavi,
The first set of antennae are colored black and the second set red.
They also have black hair, white bumps, and a stripe across the large pincer. Their coloring can be orange to dark brown.
They have a tendency to moult more often than other crabs. They can be 30mm in length. Their eyestalks are black and elongated.
The tip of their big claw tends to be white. Their walking legs are slim and the third walking leg is usually very long and slim. Their abdomens are quite long and slender.
Coenobita perlatus - Strawberry Hermit Crab (SHC)
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SHC have 4 - 7 pronounced stitch marks on their large pincer . They are noted for their bright red colouring and white granual markings.
Young SHC sometimes have a candy cane appearence in their colouring.
They are also the largest of the Land Hermit Crabs kept in captivity and need a lot more room than the other species.
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SHC are the most difficult hermies to keep in captivity.
NB. SHC are a delicate and sensitive hermie and better kept by experienced hermie keepers.
Male or Female?
Female hermies have tiny genital openings called gonopores.
They are located on the first segment of the rear walking legs. Some owners refer to them as being like dots on the back of the females legs.
Material by Anita