Halloween hermit crab
| Halloween hermit crab | |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Crustacea |
| Class: | Malacostraca |
| Order: | Decapoda |
| Superfamily: | Paguroidea |
| Family: | Diogenidae |
| Genus: | Ciliopagurus |
| Species: | C. strigatus |
| Binomial name | |
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Ciliopagurus strigatus (Herbst, 1804) |
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The halloween hermit crab, Ciliopagurus strigatus, also known as the striped hermit crab or orange legged hermit crab, is a brightly colored aquatic hermit crab of the family Diogenidae. Besides its ability to routinely clean algae in aquariums, the halloween hermit crab's festive striped coloration also appeals to enthusiasts; it is considered the most brightly colored hermit crab in normal aquarium use.
The halloween hermit crab is commonly found along coral substrates and in the ocean, along sandy areas surrounding reefs, but not typically on top of the reefs themselves, in shallow (less than 50 feet or 15 metres) tropical, coastal waters. It is believed to have originated from the Hawaiian region and is native to the Indo-Pacific region, including the Red Sea. It is very similar in appearance to three other species in the same genus: C. tricolor, C. vakovako and C. galzini, only distinguishable by the color of its striae.
The halloween hermit crab will grow on average to 2 inches (5.1 cm) in length, which is fairly large in comparison to other hermit crabs. It has a noticeably flattened pure white shield, approximately .315 inches (8 mm) long. It is a nocturnal species, and has been described as "conspicuous". It lives primarily in empty cone shells, mainly those of snails or tritons. Like other hermit crabs, it wears shells in order to protect itself from predators. Its ocular peduncles and antennae are a solid orange and the antennal flagella are transparent. The corneous has parallel ridges on the palm, with similar ridges on the crabs' dactals (the movable part of their pincers). The halloween hermit crab can live for up to 10 years.
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Wikipedia