Hermit crab

Hermit crabs are decapod crustaceans of the superfamily Paguroidea, distinct from the true crabs in the infra-order Brachyura. Most hermit crabs salvage empty seashells to shelter and protect their soft abdomens. There are about five hundred known species of hermit crabs in the world; although they are mostly aquatic, there are also some terrestrial species. A number of species, most notably king crabs, have abandoned seashells for a free-living life; these species have forms similar to true crabs and are known as carcinized hermit crabs. Other species inhabit shells as juveniles and abandon them as adults, most notably the coconut crab.

References

• Harvey A & Brodie R, "Development of the terrestrial hermit crab, Coenobita compressus, in the laboratory". 2001. Journal of Crustacean Biology, vol 21. 715-732.
• ITIS Standard Report Page: Paguroidea