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Arthropoda < Crustacea < Decapoda < Anomura < PaguridaeHermit crab (Pagurus lanuginosus) is an omnivorous marine animal that utilizes shells for the protection of its abdomen. When it is attacked by predators, it withdraws its body in the shell and defends itself by firmly clinging to the shell by fourth and fifth pereopods, and blocks the hands of predators by the right cheliped.
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| Pagurus lanuginsus |
| Hermit Crab |
| March 2003, Tokyo Bay, Japan
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| Lateral View of Pagurus lanuginsus |
The photo shows the dorsal view of the hermit crab. The five pairs of legs are shown in the photo (Decapoda, ten legs). The red-orange second antenna is characteristic feature of this species (Pagurus lanuginosus).
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| Dorsal View of Pagurus lanuginsus |
The photo shows the ventral view of the hermit crab (male). The abdomen is soft and covered by thin membrane. At the end of the abdomen, a pair of uropods function as an anchor that hangs on the shell.
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| Ventral View of Pagurus lanuginsus |
The mouth is located between the pairs of maxillipeds. There are three pairs of maxillipeds.
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| Pagurus lanuginsus Eating Dried Fish January 2004, Chiba, Japan |
Each pereopod consists of five articles: Coxa, Basis-ischium, Merus, Carpus, Propodus, and Dactyl. In case of emergency, it autotomizes pereopods between basis and ischium.
