The pink hermit crab (''Paguristes gamianus'') is a
species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
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 a ...
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 instead of the right. It comprises 429 extant species, and a further 46 e ...
.
Description
The pink hermit crab is a small hairy-legged pink hermit that grows to 2 cm. It has black eyes and equal-sized pincers with brown tips. It has white tips to its second and third legs.
[Branch, G.M., Branch, M.L, Griffiths, C.L. and Beckley, L.E. 2010. ''Two Oceans: a guide to the marine life of southern Africa'' ]
Distribution
This crab is found only around the southern African coast from southern Namibia to Cape Agulhas in less than 12m of water.
Ecology
The female of this species broods 12-15 eggs within the shell.
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q13986874
Hermit crabs
Crustaceans described in 1836