Page 91 - Caribbean Reef Life Demo

ermit crabs make use of abandoned shells to protect their soft vulnerable abdomens. When a hermit crab outgrows its shell and can no longer t safely inside, it looks for another. They can be found ghting over a prized shell.
ermit crabs are not true crabs. While the rst pair of legs form claws and the following two are used for walking, the last two pairs of legs are used only for holding their shell in place. True crabs have two sets of antennae for detecting scent, located between their eyes. ermit crabs have one set of these antennae located at the sides of their heads.
Rather than ghting over a shell hermit crabs will sometimes cooperate, gathering together in large groups to compare shell sizes from smallest to largest. When enough hermit crabs have gathered and inspected shells, they will all uickly move into the best shell possible. ermit crabs molt about once a year, and this is also a good time to nd a larger home. They often molt inside the safety of sponges. Look down into the vase and barrel sponges to nd collections of discarded shells. The old exoskeletons can be seen as well, though a hermit crab may eat part of it while its new exoskeleton is hardening.
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