Hermit crab ID...hes from the Gulf

Littleg182 · #1 04/24/2007, 06:30 PM

Got this little guy out in the Gulf about 30 miles on a field trip from Fort Myers. Thats all I know about him! He wears a sponge for a shell and the starfish is always chasing him around riding on his back, they are quite the duo.

Littleg182 · #2 04/26/2007, 11:15 AM

Any guesses? I can't figure it out

rekn · #3 04/26/2007, 11:58 AM

the star is probably tyring to eat the sponge

a4twenty · #4 04/26/2007, 01:41 PM

i'm thinking Pylopaguropsis fimbriata

here is a link to some pics i googled.

coop47 · #5 04/26/2007, 02:09 PM

The two species of hermits most commonly found to inhabit hermit sponges in the Gulf are Pagurus impressus or Paguristes hummi.

As to which you have there... I would guess hummi just from what I can see of his claws.

Either way, you have a new tank inhabitant thats easy to care for. They both stay relatively small, are detrito/herbivores and will live quite happily in their sponge so long as the sponge stays healthy... which brings me to my other comment.

That starfish is most certainly not being a buddy to your crab - he is trying to eat the sponge. You will need to separate them if you intend for the sponge to survive.

The crab will live just as well in a shell so long as you have empty ones of appropriate size for him to move into, should the sponge get eaten. But be aware; that isn't just a random sponge that grew on his current shell - that sponge is his current shell. The shell it originally grew on could be tiny, and barely housing his tail by now :P

edit: check this site, its about the sponges really, but *shrug* thought you might be interested. http://www.public.coe.edu/department...gy/hermit.html

LeslieH · #6 04/27/2007, 02:48 PM

Pylopaguropsis fimbriata is from the Indo-Pacific so geography rules that one out. Pagurus impressus has the same striped legs & eye stalk color but the claws are covered with small bumps & Littleg's hermit has smooth claws. Paguristes hummi has very different coloration so it doesn't appear to be any of these. I've also looked but failed to find a match on the internet or in my books. That doesn't mean Littleg's animal isn't common, just that identified pictures of it are rare.