Hermit Crabs
Hermit crabs are tiny crustaceans that lack a carapace, or shell, and must “borrow” one from snails, periwinkles or oyster drills. Adults have:
- One claw that is larger than the other.
- Soft, coiled abdomens that fit inside the "borrowed" shell.
- Two pairs of walking legs.
- Last pair of legs is small and modified to firmly hold the crab inside its shell.
What species of hermit crabs live in the Bay?
Three species of hermit crabs can be found in the Bay:
- The long-clawed hermit crab, Pagurus longicarpus, has long, narrow claws with a darker stripe on the hands of the claws.
- The banded hermit crab, Pagurus annulipes, has a hairy major claw and legs banded with brown rings. It is the smallest hermit crab species found in the Bay.
- The broad-clawed hermit crab, Pagurus pollicaris, has a flat major claw with wart-like projections called tubercles. It is the largest hermit crab species found in the Bay.
Where do hermit crabs live?
Hermit crabs are found from Tangier Sound south to the mouth of the Bay.
- Long-clawed hermits live in the shallows.
- Banded hermits prefer waters from the low-tide mark to deep waters.
- Broad-clawed hermits are found on deeper flats and open Bay waters.
What do hermit crabs eat?
Hermit crabs are omnivorous and will feed on anything, including algae, detritus and other organic particles.
How do hermit crabs reproduce?
Like other crabs, hermit crabs go through several stages before becoming adults.
- Tiny, free-swimming larvae called zoea hatch from eggs.
- Zoea grow and molt several times before becoming megalops, which are still tiny but have a crustacean-like form.
- Megalops molt into juvenile hermit crabs.
- Juveniles continue to grow and molt, eventually becoming adults.
Other facts about hermit crabs:
- Constantly searching for a larger shell to "borrow" and cover its soft body. Sometimes a hermit crab will steal a shell being used by a smaller hermit crab!
- It is nearly impossible to pull a hermit crab out of its shell without tearing the crab apart.