Diverosa, hermit crabs

By species

www.diverosa.com

Rokus Groeneveld & Sanne Reijs

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Hermit crabs are, other than one might think, not closely related to true crabs, although they’re both crustaceans. Hermit crabs have soft abdomens that they protect by carrying it in an empty shell. In case of emergency, the whole body will retract in it. There are over 800 species of marine hermit crabs.

As a hermit crab becomes bigger, it outgrows its shell and changes to another. A special member of the hermit crabs is the Anemone carrier. It places anemones on it’s shell for camouflage and extra protection. When the Anemone carrier changes to a bigger shell, it takes it’s anemones from the old shell and places it on the new shell.

Some hermit crabs use ‘synchronous vacancy chains’. Hermit crabs of various sizes line up after the one finding a suitable, bigger, shell. When the biggest crab changes shell, the others will follow in seconds. The actual lining up however may take hours. Another thing that occurs is that a hermit crab, finding a shell that’s to large, stays with it in the hope an intermediate size will come by. Vacancy chains are also seen with terrestrial hermit crabs.

Diogenidae

Aniculus aniculus

Bangka, Indonesia 2017
house reef Mimpi Indah (night dive)

Aniculus maximus

Yellow hairy hermit crab

Halmahera, Indonesia 2010
Dive site: Tidore, west side

Calcinus gaimardii

Gaimard's hermit crab

Bali, Indonesia 2011
Dive site: Amed, Drop off

Calcinus haigae

Haig's hermit crab

Marsa alam, Egypt 2012
Dive site: house reef Oasis (night dive)

Calcinus latens

Hidden hermit

Marsa alam, Egypt 2012
Dive site: Gabal del Rosas

Calcinus lineapropodus

Romblon, the Philippines 2017
Dive site: Bangug 3 (night dive)

Calcinus lineapropodus

Romblon, the Philippines 2017
Dive site: Bangug 3 (night dive)

Calcinus minutus

Small white hermit crab

Lembeh, Indonesia 2008
Dive site: Magic rock

Calcinus minutus

Small white hermit crab

Bali, Indonesia 2011
Dive site: Amed, Pyramids

Calcinus minutus

Small white hermit crab

Cebu, the Philippines 2012
Dive site: Dolphin house

Calcinus minutus

Small white hermit crab

Halmahera, Indonesia 2014
Dive site: Airstrip (night dive)

Calcinus pulcher

Bali, Indonesia 2009
Dive site: Tulamben, Coral garden

maybe Calcinus sp.

Romblon, the Philippines 2017
Bonbon broken coconut (night dive)

FRO-286_undetermined_hermit_crab_maybe_Carcinus_sp.

maybe Calcinus sp.

Romblon, the Philippines 2017
Dive site: Bangug 3 (night dive)

Ciliopagurus strigatus

Halloween hermit crab

Lembeh, Indonesia 2010
Dive site: Hairball II

Ciliopagurus strigatus

Halloween hermit crab

Bali, Indonesia 2011
Dive site: house reef Kubu Indah (night dive)

Dardanus deformis

Pale anemone hermit crab

Cebu, the Philippines 2012
house reef Magic Island Dive R. (night dive)

Dardanus deformis

Pale anemone hermit crab

Cebu, the Philippines 2012
Dive site: Goby point (night dive)

Dardanus deformis

juvenile Pale anemone hermit crab

Raja ampat, Indonesia 2014
Dive site: house reef Sorido (night dive)

Dardanus gemmatus

Jewelled anemone hermit

Bali, Indonesia 2016
Dive site: Puri jati

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Dardanus guttatus

Blue-spotted hermit crab

Ambon, Indonesia 2010
house reef Maluku divers (night dive)

Dardanus guttatus

Blue-spotted hermit crab

Bali, Indonesia 2011
Dive site: house reef Kubu Indah (night dive)

Dardanus guttatus

Blue-spotted hermit crab

Bali, Indonesia 2011
Dive site: house reef Kubu Indah (night dive)

Dardanus guttatus

Blue-spotted hermit crab

Lembeh, Indonesia 2014
Dive site: Tanjung lampu (night dive)

Dardanus guttatus

Blue-spotted hermit crab

Bangka, Indonesia 2017
house reef Mimpi Indah (night dive)

Dardanus lagopodes

Dark knee hermit crab

Cabilao, the Philippines 2005
Dive site: Southpoint

Dardanus lagopodes

Dark knee hermit crab

Cabilao, the Philippines 2005
Dive site: Looc

Dardanus lagopodes

Dark knee hermit crab

Cebu, the Philippines 2007
house reef Magic Island (night dive)

Dardanus lagopodes

Dark knee hermit crab

Lembeh, Indonesia 2008
Dive site: Jarijari (night dive)

Dardanus lagopodes

Dark knee hermit crab

Ambon, Indonesia 2010
house reef Maluku divers (night dive)

Dardanus lagopodes

homeless Dark knee hermit crab

Lembeh, Indonesia 2010
house reef Divers Lodge Lembeh (night dive)

Dardanus lagopodes

Dark knee hermit crab

Bali, Indonesia 2011
Dive site: house reef Kubu Indah (night dive)

Dardanus lagopodes

homeless Dark knee hermit crab

Bali, Indonesia 2011
Dive site: house reef Kubu Indah (night dive)

Dardanus lagopodes

Dark knee hermit crab

Cebu, the Philippines 2012
Dive site: Sanctuary

Dardanus lagopodes

Dark knee hermit crab

Negros, the Philippines 2012
Dive site: Masaplod north

Dardanus lagopodes

Dark knee hermit crab

Cebu, the Philippines 2012
house reef Magic Island (night dive)

Dardanus lagopodes

Dark knee hermit crab

Lembeh, Indonesia 2014
Dive site: Police pier II

Dardanus lagopodes

Dark knee hermit crab

Bangka, Indonesia 2017
house reef Mimpi Indah (night dive)

Dardanus megistos

White spotted hermit crab

Cebu, the Philippines 2007
house reef Magic Island (night dive)

Dardanus megistos

White spotted hermit crab eating a bird

Ambon, Indonesia 2010
Dive site: Rhino

Dardanus megistos

running White spotted hermit crab

Lembeh, Indonesia 2010
Dive site: Serena basar (night dive)

Dardanus megistos

running White spotted hermit crab

Lembeh, Indonesia 2010
Dive site: Jahir (night dive)

Dardanus megistos

White spotted (or Scarlet) hermit crab

Lembeh, Indonesia 2010
Dive site: Police pier

Dardanus megistos

White spotted hermit crab

Cebu, the Philippines 2012
house reef Magic Island (night dive)

Dardanus megistos

White spotted hermit crab

Cebu, the Philippines 2012
Dive site: Banlot (night dive)

Dardanus megistos

White spotted hermit crab

Halmahera, Indonesia 2014
Dive site: Airstrip (night dive)

Dardanus megistos

White spotted hermit crab

Halmahera, Indonesia 2014
Dive site: Airstrip (night dive)

Dardanus megistos

White spotted hermit crab

Lembeh, Indonesia 2014
Dive site: Nudi falls (night dive)

Dardanus megistos

White spotted (or Scarlet) hermit crab

Raja ampat, Indonesia 2014
Dive site: Yenbuba jetty

Dardanus megistos

White spotted (or Scarlet) hermit crab

Raja ampat, Indonesia 2014
Dive site: house reef Sorido (night dive)

Dardanus megistos

White spotted (or Scarlet) hermit crab

Anilao, the Philippines 2015
Dive site: Sea pipe (night dive)

Dardanus megistos

White spotted (or Scarlet) hermit crab

Romblon, the Philippines 2017
Dive site: Bangug 3 (night dive)

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Dardanus pedunculatus

Anemone carrier

Cabilao, the Philippines 2005
Dive site: Lighthouse

Dardanus pedunculatus

Anemone carrier

Cabilao, Philippines 2005
Dive site: Lighthouse

Dardanus pedunculatus

Anemone carrier

Cabilao, the Philippines 2005
Dive site: Lighthouse

Dardanus pedunculatus

Anemone carrier

Cebu, Philippines 2007
house reef Magic Island (night dive)

Dardanus pedunculatus

Anemone carrier

Lembeh, Indonesia 2008
Dive site: Jahir

Dardanus pedunculatus

Anemone carrier

Ambon, Indonesia 2010
house reef Maluku divers (night dive)

Dardanus pedunculatus

Anemone carrier

Ambon, Indonesia 2010
house reef Maluku divers (night dive)

Dardanus pedunculatus

juvenile Anemone carrier

Ambon, Indonesia 2010
house reef Maluku divers (night dive)

Dardanus pedunculatus

juvenile Anemone carrier

Halmahera, Indonesia 2010
house reef Weda resort (night dive)

Anemone carriers live in symbiosis with the anemone.
If the hermit crab moves to a bigger shell she takes the anemone with her. With a combination of peeling the edges and tapping the anemone she convinces the anemone to let go. Then she places it on her new shell.

Dardanus pedunculatus

Anemone carrier

Halmahera, Indonesia 2010
Dive site: New Jetty (night dive)

Dardanus pedunculatus

Anemone carrier

Lembeh, Indonesia 2010
Dive site: Hairball

Dardanus pedunculatus

Anemone carrier

Lembeh, Indonesia 2010
Dive site: Batu lubang (night dive)

Dardanus pedunculatus

Anemone carrier

Cebu, the Philippines 2012
house reef Magic Island (night dive)

Dardanus pedunculatus

Anemone carrier

Cebu, the Philippines 2012
Dive site: Goby point (night dive)

Dardanus pedunculatus

Anemone carrier

Marsa alam, Egypt 2012
Dive site: house reef Oasis (night dive)

Dardanus pedunculatus

Anemone carrier

Lembeh, Indonesia 2014
Dive site: Nudi falls (night dive)

Dardanus pedunculatus

Anemone carrier

Anilao, the Philippines 2015
Dive site: Koala (night dive)

Dardanus pedunculatus

Anemone carrier

Romblon, the Philippines 2017
Dive site: Agnay desert (night dive)

Dardanus pedunculatus

Anemone carrier

Romblon, the Philippines 2017
Dive site: Bangug 3 (night dive)

Dardanus pedunculatus

Anemone carrier

Bangka, Indonesia 2017
house reef Mimpi Indah (night dive)

Dardanus pedunculatus

Anemone carriers fighting over shell

Bangka, Indonesia 2017
house reef Mimpi Indah (night dive)

Dardanus venosus

Stareye hermit

Caribbean, Bonaire 2013
Dive site: house reef Buddy (night dive)

Dardanus venosus

Stareye hermit

Caribbean, Bonaire 2013
Dive site: house reef Buddy (night dive)

Dardanus sp.

undetermined hermit crab

Bali, Indonesia 2016
Dive site: Amed, Ghost bay (night dive)

Paguristes cadenati

Red reef hermit crab

Caribbean, Bonaire 2013
Dive site: Reef scientifico (night dive)

Paguristes frontalis

Southern hermit crab

South Australia 2018
Dive site: Port Hughes jetty

Paguristes frontalis

Southern hermit crab

Australia, Victoria 2018
Dive site: Blairgowrie pier (night dive)

Paguristes frontalis

Southern hermit crabs

South Australia 2018
Dive site: Noarlunga reef (night dive)

Paguristes punticeps

White speckled hermit

Caribbean, Bonaire 2013
Dive site: Bari reef (night dive)

Paguridae

Pagurixus maorus

Halmahera, Indonesia 2014
Dive site: Airstrip (night dive)

Pagurixus maorus

Halmahera, Indonesia 2010
house reef Weda resort (night dive)

Pagurixus maorus

Bali, Indonesia 2011
Dive site: house reef Kubu Indah (night dive)

Pagurixus sp.

Australia, Victoria 2018
Dive site: Blairgowrie pier

Pagurus sp.

undetermined hermit crab

Cebu, the Philippines 2007
house reef Magic Island (night dive)

Pylopaguropsis fimbriata

Ambon, Indonesia 2010
house reef Maluku divers (night dive)

Pylopaguropsis fimbriata

Ambon, Indonesia 2010
house reef Maluku divers (night dive)

undetermined hermit crab

Marsa alam, Egypt 2012
Dive site: house reef Oasis (night dive)

IRA-252 undetermined little white hermit crab

undetermined hermit crab

Raja ampat, Indonesia 2014
Dive site: house reef Sorido (night dive)

undetermined hermit crab

Romblon, the Philippines 2017
Dive site: Bon bon (night dive)

FNE-238 undertermined hermit crab carriying an anemone

undetermined hermit crab

Negros, the Philippines 2012
Dive site: San Miguel (night dive)

undetermined hermit crab

Anilao, the Philippines 2015
Dive site: Anilao pier (night dive)

undetermined hermit crab

Romblon, the Philippines 2017
Dive site: Agnay desert (night dive)

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Paguridae (Coral hermit crabs)

Paguritta harmsi

coral hermit crab

Halmahera, Indonesia 2010
Dive site: Shark reef

Paguritta vittata

Striped coral hermit crab

Cebu, the Philippines 2007
Dive site: Eyoy

Paguritta vittata

Striped coral hermit crab

Cebu, the Philippines 2007
Dive site: Eyoy

Paguritta vittata

Striped coral hermit crab

Bali, Indonesia 2016
Dive site: Tulamben, house reef Ocean view

Paguritta sp.

undetermined coral hermit crab

Gili Islands, Lombok, Indonesia 2009
Dive site: Gili Meno, Bounty