Marine Hermit Crab

Family: Paguroidea

Hermit crabs can be divided into two groups: Land and marine hermit crab. Land hermit crabs spend most of their life on land, though they need access to water to keep their gills damp for survival and reproduction. On the other hand, marine hermit crabs spend most of their lives underwater. Two species of marine hermit crabs are commonly seen at Sky Mirror Shoal—Tidal hermit crab (Diogenes sp.) is tiny, 1-2 cm long, with a grey body and a pincer bigger than the other; they usually live in large groups. Orangestriped hermit crab (Clibanarius infraspinatus) is much larger, its body measures about 2-5 cm, dark brown in colour with orange stripes. Hermit crab occupies empty gastropod shell as home. A growing hermit crab will abandon the shell once it finds a larger one to move into.