This species is primarily nocturnal: during the day, it buries itself in a damp substrate and comes out at night. This helps it to keep its water reserves and stay hydrated. In the wet season, it can be found in bushy areas several hundred metres from the beach.
Where is the animal to be found?
It is mainly found in mangroves, in forested areas near the beach, in sandy dunes and in bushy areas. It hides under piles of dead leaves during the hottest hours of the day.
How can it be recognised?
- The terrestrial hermit crab can be recognised by its small size and the thick hair on its exoskeleton. Another unique feature is that it has a black horizontal line just above the eyes.
- The colour of its body may vary according to the individual: grey, red, pink, white, yellow, black or even blue!
- The left claw of this hermit crab is larger and stronger than the right claw. It also uses it to produce sounds, which is why it is also known as a "stridulating cenobite". The visible part of its body (outside its shell) measures on average 15 mm.
- It is a gregarious animal: it lives in colonies of up to several hundred individuals. This lifestyle makes it easier for the colony to find food and shells that suit their size.
- The hermit crab is omnivorous. It feeds on plants, dried fruit, carrion, algae, small insects and even excrement.
What is distinctive about it?
The hermit crab must moult to grow. During moulting, it buries itself in the sand for several weeks. As it grows, the hermit crab must change its shell to find a bigger and stronger one. They can then swap them.
It can produce sounds with its claw.
