Scaly Hermit Crab

Paguristes squamosus

Systematics: Anomura Family Diogenidae

Distinguishing Characters:
The left cheliped is larger than the right, its wrist with four spines on the upper side. Most of the body and legs are pink and tinged with green and brown. The scaly hermit crab grows to about 40 mm.

Habitat and Distribution:
The species lives in intertidal pools and in shallow subtidal regions in New South Wales and eastern Victoria.

General Biology:
This is one of the few hermit crabs that has ever been seriously studied in Australia by marine biologists. It has been observed feeding on hard pink coralline seaweed as well as on dead crustaceans and molluscs. The species may also filter particles from the water for food.

Feedback and queries should be sent to the Discovery Centre at Museum Victoria.
Please note, the Discovery Centre can help you only with questions about crustaceans from southeastern Australia. It can not advise on the care of pet hermit crabs or on crustaceans from other regions.