Hermit Crabs

Striped Hermit Crab (Ciliopagurus strigatus) feeding on reef substrate.
Striped Hermit Crab (Ciliopagurus strigatus) feeding on reef substrate. Diogenidae Anomura, decapoda decapods single one alone lonely isolated individual shell armor armour armoured armored protect protected protection hard sheild shield line lines lined stripe stripes striped patterns pattern band bands banded crabs crab arthropod arthropoda crustacea malacostraca decapod decapoda pleocyemata brachyura crustacean crustaceans nipper nipping nippers claw claws pinch pinched pinching pincer pincers eat eating eater feed feeding feeder consume consuming devour devouring home house shelter sheltered safe safety secure security secured sheltering nest colour color colourful colorful vibrant vibrent vibrint red orange |Striped Hermit Crab (Ciliopagurus strigatus)

Anemone Hermit Crab (Dardanus pedunculatus)
Anemone Hermit Crab (Dardanus pedunculatus) single one alone lonely isolated individual shell armor armour armoured armored protect protected protection hard sheild shield small tiny minute minuet miniscule diminutive macro micro little minor minature miniature petite puny crabs crab arthropod arthropoda crustacea malacostraca decapod decapoda pleocyemata brachyura crustacean crustaceans nipper nipping nippers claw claws pinch pinched pinching pincer pincers house home commensal Crustaceans |Anemone Hermit Crab (Dardanus pedunculatus)

Yellow-eyed Hermit Crab (Dardanus lagopodes)
Yellow-eyed Hermit Crab (Dardanus lagopodes) Anomura, decapoda decapods single one alone lonely isolated individual shell armor armour armoured armored protect protected protection hard sheild shield crabs crab arthropod arthropoda crustacea malacostraca decapod decapoda pleocyemata brachyura crustacean crustaceans nipper nipping nippers claw claws pinch pinched pinching pincer pincers curious curiousity curios curiosity look looking inspect inspecting gaze gazing inquisitive inquiring enquiring interested questioning nosy prying cute friend friendly cuddly cuddle play playful happy smile smiling home house shelter sheltered safe safety secure security secured sheltering nest |Yellow-eyed Hermit Crab (Dardanus lagopodes)

Yellow-eyed Hermit Crab (Dardanus lagopodes)
Yellow-eyed Hermit Crab (Dardanus lagopodes) Diogenidae (left-handed hermit crabs) Anomura, decapoda decapods Malacostraca single one alone lonely isolated individual shell armor armour armoured armored protect protected protection hard sheild shield crabs crab arthropod arthropoda crustacea malacostraca decapod decapoda pleocyemata brachyura crustacean crustaceans nipper nipping nippers claw claws pinch pinched pinching pincer pincers curious curiousity curios curiosity look looking inspect inspecting gaze gazing inquisitive inquiring enquiring interested questioning nosy prying defence defend defencive defensive defense defending sheild shield guard shielding guarding guardian secure securing secured home house shelter sheltered safe safety secure security secured sheltering nest |Yellow-eyed Hermit Crab (Dardanus lagopodes)

Speckled Hermit Crab (Dardanus megistos)
Speckled Hermit Crab (Dardanus megistos) crustacean shell armor armour armoured armored protect protected protection hard sheild shield single one alone lonely isolated individual spots spotted dot dots dotted spot speckled specks curious curiousity curios curiosity look looking inspect inspecting gaze gazing inquisitive inquiring enquiring interested questioning nosy prying Crustaceans |Speckled Hermit Crab (Dardanus megistos)

Speckled Hermit Crab (Dardanus Megistos)
Speckled Hermit Crab (Dardanus Megistos) spotted hairy clamber load home house weight heavy dragging Crustaceans |Speckled Hermit Crab (Dardanus Megistos)

Coral Hermit Crab (Paguritta harmsi) peering out of it's protective coral home.
Coral Hermit Crab (Paguritta harmsi) peering out of it's protective coral home. Paguridae Anomura decapoda decapods single one alone lonely isolated individual shell armor armour armoured armored protect protected protection hard sheild shield crabs crab arthropod arthropoda crustacea malacostraca decapod decapoda pleocyemata brachyura crustacean crustaceans nipper nipping nippers claw claws pinch pinched pinching pincer pincers home house shelter sheltered safe safety secure security secured sheltering nest curious curiousity curios curiosity look looking inspect inspecting gaze gazing inquisitive inquiring enquiring interested questioning nosy prying small tiny minute minuet miniscule diminutive macro micro little minor minature miniature petite puny |Coral Hermit Crab (Paguritta harmsi)

Speckled Hermit Crab (Dardanus megistos)
Speckled Hermit Crab (Dardanus megistos) Anomura, decapoda decapods single one alone lonely isolated individual shell armor armour armoured armored protect protected protection hard sheild shield spots spotted dot dots dotted spot speckled specks crabs crab arthropod arthropoda crustacea malacostraca decapod decapoda pleocyemata brachyura crustacean crustaceans nipper nipping nippers claw claws pinch pinched pinching pincer pincers |Speckled Hermit Crab (Dardanus megistos)

Speckled Hermit Crab (Dardanus megistos) foraging over coral reef rubble.
Speckled Hermit Crab (Dardanus megistos) foraging over coral reef rubble. Diogenidae white-spotted Anomura, decapoda decapods single one alone lonely isolated individual spots spotted dot dots dotted spot speckled specks crabs crab arthropod arthropoda crustacea malacostraca decapod decapoda pleocyemata brachyura crustacean crustaceans nipper nipping nippers claw claws pinch pinched pinching pincer pincers home house shelter sheltered safe safety secure security secured sheltering nest |Speckled Hermit Crab (Dardanus megistos)

Anemone Hermit Crab (Dardanus pedunculatus) Attaches anemones to shell for defence.
Anemone Hermit Crab (Dardanus pedunculatus) Attaches anemones to shell for defence. single one alone lonely isolated individual crustacean shell armor armour armoured armored protect protected protection hard sheild shield camouflage camoflage camouflaged camoflaged hidden hiding hide cryptic crustacean Crustaceans |Anemone Hermit Crab (Dardanus pedunculatus)

Anemone Hermit Crab (Dardanus pedunculatus) with anemones attatched to shell for camouflage and protection.
Anemone Hermit Crab (Dardanus pedunculatus) with anemones attatched to shell for camouflage and protection. commensal protected defense defending mobile home Crustaceans |Anemone Hermit Crab (Dardanus pedunculatus)

Hermit Crab (Dardanus guttatus)
Hermit Crab (Dardanus guttatus) color colour spotted spots blue cyan hairy shell home safe safety armour protection security peer peek look legs Crustaceans |Hermit Crab (Dardanus guttatus)

Anemone Hermit Crab (Dardanus pedunculatus) foraging over sandy sea bed.
Anemone Hermit Crab (Dardanus pedunculatus) foraging over sandy sea bed. single one alone lonely isolated individual shell armor armour armoured armored protect protected protection hard sheild shield small tiny minute minuet miniscule diminutive macro micro little minor minature miniature petite puny crabs crab arthropod arthropoda crustacea malacostraca decapod decapoda pleocyemata brachyura crustacean crustaceans nipper nipping nippers claw claws pinch pinched pinching pincer pincers house home commensal Crustaceans |Anemone Hermit Crab (Dardanus pedunculatus)

Anemone Hermit Crab (Dardanus pedunculatus) with attached anemones.
Anemone Hermit Crab (Dardanus pedunculatus) with attached anemones. single one alone lonely isolated individual shell armor armour armoured armored protect protected protection hard sheild shield small tiny minute minuet miniscule diminutive macro micro little minor minature miniature petite puny crabs crab arthropod arthropoda crustacea malacostraca decapod decapoda pleocyemata brachyura crustacean crustaceans nipper nipping nippers claw claws pinch pinched pinching pincer pincers house home commensal Crustaceans |Anemone Hermit Crab (Dardanus pedunculatus)

Coral Hermit Crab (Paguritta harmsi) Uses a burrow in hard coral as opposed to a discarded shell for it's home and protection.
Coral Hermit Crab (Paguritta harmsi) Uses a burrow in hard coral as opposed to a discarded shell for it's home and protection. Paguridae Anomura decapoda decapods single one alone lonely isolated individual crabs crab arthropod arthropoda crustacea malacostraca decapod decapoda pleocyemata brachyura crustacean crustaceans nipper nipping nippers claw claws pinch pinched pinching pincer pincers home house shelter sheltered safe safety secure security secured sheltering nest protect protective protecting care caring secure security securing cherish curious curiousity curios curiosity look looking inspect inspecting gaze gazing inquisitive inquiring enquiring interested questioning nosy prying crabs crab arthropod arthropoda crustacea malacostraca decapod decapoda pleocyemata brachyura crustacean crustaceans nipper nipping nippers claw claws pinch pinched pinching pincer pincers |Coral Hermit Crab (Paguritta harmsi)

Anemone Hermit Crab (Dardanus pedunculatus) with anemones attached to shell.
Anemone Hermit Crab (Dardanus pedunculatus) with anemones attached to shell. Diogenidae Anomura, decapoda decapods single one alone lonely isolated individual shell armor armour armoured armored protect protected protection hard sheild shield crabs crab arthropod arthropoda crustacea malacostraca decapod decapoda pleocyemata brachyura crustacean crustaceans nipper nipping nippers claw claws pinch pinched pinching pincer pincers commensal |Anemone Hermit Crab (Dardanus pedunculatus)

Anemone Hermit Crab (Dardanus pedunculatus) checking empty shell.
Anemone Hermit Crab (Dardanus pedunculatus) checking empty shell. Diogenidae Anomura, decapoda decapods single one alone lonely isolated individual shell armor armour armoured armored protect protected protection hard sheild shield crabs crab arthropod arthropoda crustacea malacostraca decapod decapoda pleocyemata brachyura crustacean crustaceans nipper nipping nippers claw claws pinch pinched pinching pincer pincers commensal |Anemone Hermit Crab (Dardanus pedunculatus)

Anemone Hermit Crab (Dardanus pedunculatus) in Murex Shell (Murex aduncospinosus)
Anemone Hermit Crab (Dardanus pedunculatus) in Murex Shell (Murex aduncospinosus) Diogenidae Anomura, decapoda decapods single one alone lonely isolated individual crabs crab arthropod arthropoda crustacea malacostraca decapod decapoda pleocyemata brachyura crustacean crustaceans nipper nipping nippers claw claws pinch pinched pinching pincer pincers shell armor armour armoured armored protect protected protection hard sheild shield home house shelter sheltered safe safety secure security secured sheltering nest spike spikes spiked spine spines sharp point pointed curious curiousity curios curiosity look looking inspect inspecting gaze gazing inquisitive inquiring enquiring interested questioning nosy prying cute friend friendly |Anemone Hermit Crab (Dardanus pedunculatus)

Anemone Hermit Crab (Dardanus pedunculatus) in Murex Shell (Murex aduncospinosus)
Anemone Hermit Crab (Dardanus pedunculatus) in Murex Shell (Murex aduncospinosus) Diogenidae Anomura, decapoda decapods single one alone lonely isolated individual crabs crab arthropod arthropoda crustacea malacostraca decapod decapoda pleocyemata brachyura crustacean crustaceans nipper nipping nippers claw claws pinch pinched pinching pincer pincers shell armor armour armoured armored protect protected protection hard sheild shield home house shelter sheltered safe safety secure security secured sheltering nest spike spikes spiked spine spines sharp point pointed curious curiousity curios curiosity look looking inspect inspecting gaze gazing inquisitive inquiring enquiring interested questioning nosy prying cute friend friendly |Anemone Hermit Crab (Dardanus pedunculatus)

Anemone Hermit Crab (Dardanus pedunculatus) with anemones attatched to shell for camouflage and protection.
Anemone Hermit Crab (Dardanus pedunculatus) with anemones attatched to shell for camouflage and protection. Diogenidae Anomura, decapoda decapods single one alone lonely isolated individual shell armor armour armoured armored protect protected protection hard sheild shield crabs crab arthropod arthropoda crustacea malacostraca decapod decapoda pleocyemata brachyura crustacean crustaceans nipper nipping nippers claw claws pinch pinched pinching pincer pincers colour color colourful colorful vibrant vibrent vibrint curious curiousity curios curiosity look looking inspect inspecting gaze gazing inquisitive inquiring enquiring interested questioning nosy prying home house shelter sheltered safe safety secure security secured sheltering nest |Anemone Hermit Crab (Dardanus pedunculatus)