Ruggie Land Hermit Crab (Coenobita rugosus)

Also known as Crying Land Hermit Crab, Hermit Crab, Land Hermit Crab, Rug Hermit Crab, Ruga Hermit Crab, Ruggie Hermit, Spot-handed Hermit Land Crab, Tawny Hermit Crab, Terrestrial Hermit Crab, Wrinkled Land Hermit Crab

Description

Also known as Crying Land Hermit Crab, Hermit Crab, Land Hermit Crab, Rug Hermit Crab, Ruga Hermit Crab, Ruggie Hermit, Spot-handed Hermit Land Crab, Tawny Hermit Crab, Terrestrial Hermit Crab, Wrinkled Land Hermit Crab.

Found both inland and on coastal sandy shores, amongst sand dunes, and sand dune vegetation.
They feed on detritus, dead fish, fruit, and plants, often going far in land for their food.
Length - 1.5cm
Depth - 0-300m
Widespread Indo-West Pacific

This hermit crabs omit a chirping sound when threatened!


The Land hermit crab is so well adapted to life out of water that it will drown if kept underwater! It has special gill chambers that act as lungs. These chambers are large and holds water to keep the gill filaments wet. The hermit crab only needs to occasionally dip in either rainwater or the sea to keep the chambers wet. Females, however, must go to the edge of the sea to release their eggs into the sea. These hatch into planktonic larvae. When the larvae develops into a small hermit crab, it finds an empty shell then heads landward.
Hermit crabs change their shells regularly but only when they find a larger and newer shell to feel safe in! Ref: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coenobita_rugosus

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