''Calcinus laevimanus'' is a species of

hermit crab Hermit crabs are anomuran decapod crustaceans of the superfamily Paguroidea that have adapted to occupy empty scavenged mollusc shells to protect their fragile exoskeletons. There are over 800 species of hermit crab, most of which possess an as ...

in the genus ''

Calcinus ''Calcinus'' is a genus of hermit crabs in the family Diogenidae The Diogenidae are a family of hermit crabs, sometimes known as "left-handed hermit crabs" because in contrast to most other hermit crabs, its left chela (claw) is enlarged in ...

'' found in the Indo-West Pacific region, the type locality being Hawaii. It is also known as the blue-eyed hermit crab, zebra hermit crab, dwarf zebra hermit crab, left-handed hermit crab, Hawaiian reef hermit and other similar names.

Description

The anterior part of this crab is calcified while the posterior part, protected by the shell it inhabits, is not. The total length is up to with a shield length of up to , with males usually being larger than females. The eyestalks are long and slender, and inflated at the base. The left

cheliped A chela ()also called a claw, nipper, or pinceris a pincer-like organ at the end of certain limbs of some arthropods. The name comes from Ancient Greek , through New Latin '. The plural form is chelae. Legs bearing a chela are called chelipeds. ...

(claw) is much larger than the right one. The propodus (penultimate joint) is smooth and shiny, the finger and thumb having spoon-shaped, calcified tips. The general colour of the carapace is brown to grey. The eye stalks are blue at the base and orange distally. The first pair of antennae have blue bases and orange tips and the second pair are entirely orange. The chelipeds are purplish-brown, the fingertips being white. The walking legs are orangish-brown with white tips.

Distribution and habitat

''C. laevimanus'' is found in the tropical and sub-tropical western Indo-Pacific. Its range extends from East Africa, Madagascar and the Comores, through Indonesia, the Philippines, Australia and Papua New Guinea to Hawaii, and includes many of the western Pacific archipelagoes. It is usually found between the low intertidal zone and the upper subtidal zone, typically on rocky reefs, rock and coral rubble.

Ecology

When choosing a new shell, this hermit crab prefers a globose shell, especially ''

Turbo In an internal combustion engine, a turbocharger (often called a turbo) is a forced induction device that is powered by the flow of exhaust gases. It uses this energy to compress the intake gas, forcing more air into the engine in order to pr ...

'' and ''

Nerita ''Nerita'' is a genus of medium-sized to small sea snails with a gill and an operculum, marine gastropod molluscs in the subfamily Neritinae of the family Neritidae, the nerites.MolluscaBase eds. (2021). MolluscaBase. Nerita Linnaeus, 1758. A ...

''. In Hawaii, the shells of '' Trochus intextus'' and '' Turbo sandwicensis'' are often used, while in South Africa, an empty ''

Lunella coronata ''Lunella coronata'', common name the crowned turban shell or the coronate moon turban, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Turbinidae, the turban snails. Description The shell grows to a length of 4 cm, w ...

'' shell is favoured. This is an aggressive hermit crab species which is prepared to fight for empty shells or other resources. The size and brightness of the white patch on the left chela seems to be a status symbol and helps its bearer in agonistic interactions. As with other decapods, the female carries the eggs tucked under her abdomen. In Hawaii, 80% of females are carrying eggs between February and October, with about three thousand eggs being typical. Once hatched, the

larva A larva (; plural larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle. ...

e pass through six

zoea Crustaceans may pass through a number of larval and immature stages between hatching from their eggs and reaching their adult form. Each of the stages is separated by a moult, in which the hard exoskeleton is shed to allow the animal to grow. The ...

l stages and one glaucothoe stage.

References

External links

* * {{Taxonbar, from=Q1026321 Hermit crabs Crustaceans described in 1840