Caribbean Hermit Crabs
Native to the Caribbean, the Caribbean Hermit Crabs have brown heads, purple claws (pincers) and reddish brown legs. They have round eyes and have setae, hair-like filaments, on their legs.
Caribbean hermit crabs are both herbivorous and scavengers. In the wild, it feeds on animal and plant remains, overripe fruit, and feces of other animals, including the Mona ground iguana. The West Indian top snail shell is often used for its home, and the hermit crab can use its larger claw to cover the aperture of the shell for protection against predators. Typically, the Caribbean hermit crab's left claw is larger in size than its right claw and is purple in color.
|
Ecuadorian Hermit Crabs
The species, also known as the Ecuadorian Hermit Crab, are recognizable with elongated eyes and stripes on the sides of their heads. They are a more active species of Hermit Crab — they are faster and can move forward, backward, and sideways — and can be yellow, dark gray, orange and tan. They require a bowl of salt water in addition to a bowl of fresh water in their habitat.
These hermit crabs have four legs, a large claw, a small claw, and antennae. The larger claw has 4-5 ridges on the upper section. The eyes are somewhat oval and shaped like a comma. The tips of one pair of legs are darker than the other part of the leg. They have a short, fat abdomen. They are usually tan colored, but some are a bright yellow or orange, or dark gray. Some have a blue or green hue to their bodies or on their inner legs.
|